Abstract
The carbohydrate polymers known as beta-1,3-d-glucans exert potent effects on the immune system - stimulating antitumour and antimicrobial activity, for example - by binding to receptors on macrophages and other white blood cells and activating them. Although beta-glucans are known to bind to receptors, such as complement receptor 3 (ref. 1), there is evidence that another beta-glucan receptor is present on macrophages. Here we identify this unknown receptor as dectin-1 (ref. 2), a finding that provides new insights into the innate immune recognition of beta-glucans.
MeSH terms
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3T3 Cells
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Animals
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Candida albicans / metabolism
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Glucans / immunology
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Glucans / metabolism*
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Humans
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Lectins, C-Type
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Lymphocyte Activation
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Membrane Proteins / immunology
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
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Mice
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / immunology
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
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Receptors, Immunologic / immunology
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Receptors, Immunologic / metabolism*
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
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T-Lymphocytes / immunology
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Zymosan / metabolism
Substances
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Glucans
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Lectins, C-Type
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Receptors, Immunologic
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beta-glucan receptor
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dectin 1
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Zymosan