We examined the carbohydrate-binding potential of the C-type lectin-like receptor Dectin-2 (Clecf4n). The carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD) of Dectin-2 exhibited cation-dependent mannose/fucose-like lectin activity, with an IC(50) for mannose of approximately 20 mM compared to an IC(50) of 1.5 mM for the macrophage mannose receptor when assayed by similar methodology. The extracellular domain of Dectin-2 exhibited binding to live Candida albicans and the Saccharomyces-derived particle zymosan. This binding was completely abrogated by cation chelation and was competed by yeast mannans. We compared the lectin activity of Dectin-2 with that of two other C-type lectin receptors (mannose receptor and SIGNR1) known to bind fungal mannans. Both mannose receptor and SIGNR1 were able to bind bacterial capsular polysaccharides derived from Streptococcus pneumoniae, but interestingly they exhibited distinct binding profiles. The Dectin-2 CRD exhibited only weak interactions to some of these capsular polysaccharides, indicative of different structural or affinity requirements for binding, when compared with the other two lectins. Glycan array analysis of the carbohydrate recognition by Dectin-2 indicated specific recognition of high-mannose structures (Man(9)GlcNAc(2)). The differences in the specificity of these three mannose-specific lectins indicate that mannose recognition is mediated by distinct receptors, with unique specificity, that are expressed by discrete subpopulations of cells, and this further highlights the complex nature of carbohydrate recognition by immune cells.
It is now appreciated that the range of ligands interacting with C-type lectin type receptors on antigen presenting cells includes endogenous self-molecules as well as pathogens and pathogen-derived ligands. Interestingly, not all interactions between these receptors and pathogenic ligands have beneficial outcomes, and it appears that some pathogens have evolved immunoevasive or immunosuppressive activities through receptors such as DC-SIGN. In addition to this, recent data indicate that the well-characterised macrophage mannose receptor is not essential to host defence against fungal pathogens, as previously thought, but has an important role in regulating endogenous glycoprotein clearance. New studies have also demonstrated that different ligand binding and/or sensing receptors collaborate for full and effective immune responses.
Mannose receptor (MR) is the best characterised member of a family of four endocytic molecules that share a common domain structure; a cysteine-rich (CR) domain, a fibronectin-type II (FNII) domain and tandemly arranged C-type lectin-like domains (CTLD, eight in the case of MR). Two distinct lectin activities have been described for MR. The CR domain recognises sulphated carbohydrates while the CTLD mediate binding to mannose, fucose or N-acetylglucosamine. FNII domains are known to be important for collagen binding and this has been studied in the context of two members of the MR family, Endo180 and the phospholipase A 2 receptor. Here, we have investigated whether the broad and effective lectin activity mediated by the CR domain and CTLD of MR is favoured to the detriment of FNII-mediated interaction(s). We show that MR is able to bind and internalise collagen in a carbohydrate-independent manner and that MR deficient macrophages have a marked defect in collagen IV and gelatin internalisation. These data have major implications at the molecular level as there are now three distinct ligand-binding sites described for MR. Furthermore our findings extend the range of endogenous ligands recognised by MR, a molecule firmly placed at the interface between homeostasis and immunity.
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