A role for insect galectins in parasite survival

被引：208

作者：

Kamhawi, S

Ramalho-Ortigao, M

Pham, VM

Kumar, S

Lawyer, PG

Turco, SJ

Barillas-Mury, C

Sacks, DL

Valenzuela, JG

机构：

[1] NIAID, Vector Mol Biol Unit, Lab Malaria & Vector Res, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA

[2] NIAID, Mosquito Immun & Vector Competence Unit, Lab Malaria & Vector Res, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA

[3] NIAID, Parasit Dis Lab, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA

[4] Univ Kentucky, Med Ctr, Dept Mol & Cellular Biochem, Lexington, KY 40502 USA

来源：

CELL | 2004年 / 119卷 / 03期

基金：

美国国家卫生研究院;

关键词：

D O I：

10.1016/j.cell.2004.10.009

中图分类号：

Q5 [生物化学]; Q7 [分子生物学];

学科分类号：

071010 ; 081704 ;

摘要：

Insect galectins are associated with embryonic development or immunity against pathogens. Here, we show that they can be exploited by parasites for survival in their insect hosts. PpGalec, a tandem repeat galectin expressed in the midgut of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi, is used by Leishmania major as a receptor for mediating specific binding to the insect midgut, an event crucial for parasite survival, and accounts for species-specific vector competence. PpGalec is thus identified as a key molecule controlling vector competence for the most widely distributed form of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World. In addition, these studies demonstrate the feasibility of using midgut receptors for parasite ligands as target antigens for transmission-blocking vaccines.

引用

页码：329 / 341

页数：13

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[11] Malaria infection of the mosquito Anopheles gambiae activates immune-responsive genes during critical transition stages of the parasite life cycle [J].