Cummings R D, Nyame A K
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190, USA.
FASEB J. 1996 Jun;10(8):838-48. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.10.8.8666160.
Schistosomiasis is a helminthic parasitic disease that results in a wide-ranging pathology in the approximately 200 million infected people worldwide. Much of the immunity to the parasite is directed against carbohydrate determinants in both glycoproteins and glycolipids from the adult worms and their eggs. Circulating glycoproteins derived from the parasite may be diagnostic for the disease. Recent studies of the structures of schistosome-derived glycoconjugates reveal that they exhibit several interesting and novel motifs. Many schistosome glycans are rich in fucose and devoid of sialic acid. It is surprising that some of the fucosylated schistosome glycans contain the Lewis x (Le(x)) antigen that is also found on human leukocytes and other tissues. These Le(x)-containing glycans elicit autoantibodies, and the glycans may affect lymphocyte functions. This review highlights recent progress in schistosome research in terms of structure, function, and biosynthesis of glycoconjugates. It is hoped that the deeper understanding being gained about glycoconjugates will foster innovative new strategies for lessening the mortality and morbidity caused by these parasites.
血吸虫病是一种蠕虫寄生虫病，在全球约2亿感染者中会引发广泛的病理变化。对该寄生虫的免疫反应大多针对成虫及其虫卵的糖蛋白和糖脂中的碳水化合物决定簇。源自该寄生虫的循环糖蛋白可能可用于疾病诊断。最近对血吸虫衍生糖缀合物结构的研究表明，它们呈现出几个有趣的新基序。许多血吸虫聚糖富含岩藻糖且不含唾液酸。令人惊讶的是，一些岩藻糖基化的血吸虫聚糖含有也存在于人类白细胞和其他组织上的Lewis x（Le(x)）抗原。这些含Le(x)的聚糖会引发自身抗体，并且这些聚糖可能会影响淋巴细胞功能。本综述重点介绍了血吸虫研究在糖缀合物的结构、功能和生物合成方面的最新进展。希望对糖缀合物的更深入了解将催生出减轻这些寄生虫所致死亡率和发病率的创新新策略。
