Role of glycans and glycoproteins in disease development by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Glycoproteins play a critical role in host-pathogen interactions, antigenicity, and virulence determination, and are therefore, considered as potential drug targets. The cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), dominantly contains sugars and lipids. Despite the efforts taken by the World Health Organization to reduce the incidence rate, the prevalence of TB is increasing in certain regions. This is mainly attributed to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Factors that contribute to Mtb virulence and antigenicity remain elusive. However, several studies have shown that sugars and lipids are mainly responsible for Mtb pathogenesis and resistance to numerous drugs. This review gives insight into the role of glycoproteins in mycobacterium pathogenesis, disease development, and its implications in drug development.