Evolution of innate immune systems*

Abstract

Innate immunity is the oldest form of defense and is found to some degree in all species. It predates the adaptive immune system, consisting of antibodies, B cells, T cells, and the major histocompatibility antigens. These are found only in higher vertebrates and have been the focus of the majority of immunological research, particularly in mice and humans, over the years. Knowledge of immunity in lower vertebrate and invertebrate species is now increasing rapidly, shedding light on the evolution of immunity and in many cases adding to our understanding of the mammalian system. Several recurring structural, genetic, and developmental mechanisms are common features in these processes in both the cellular and the molecular aspects of innate immunity.

Fish lily type lectin-1 contains β-prism architecture: Immunological characterization

“…Mannose binding lectin (MBL) is an acute-phase protein produced by liver hepatocytes that increases in response to an infection or inflammation conditions. MBL acts as an opsonin for phagocytosis by macrophages (Hoffmann et al, 1999;Suckale et al, 2005;Kindt et al, 2007). Numerous researchers have been reported MBL type lectins in salmon, rainbow trout, carp, rohu, channel catfish and blue catfish (Jensen et al, 1997a;Ewart et al, 1999;Vitved et al, 2000;Mitra and Das, 2002;Ourth et al, 2007).…”

Macrobrachium rosenbergii mannose binding lectin: Synthesis of MrMBL-N20 and MrMBL-C16 peptides and their antimicrobial characterization, bioinformatics and relative gene expression analysis

“…MBL is an acute-phase protein produced by liver hepatocytes that increases in response to an infection or inflammatory conditions. MBL acts as an opsonin for phagocytosis by macrophages [19]. MBL also participates in several important biological phenomena such as pathogen recognition, protein synthesis and transport, signal transduction and cellecell interaction [20].…”

Comparative study of mannose-binding C-type lectin isolated from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)

“…Mannose-binding lectin (MBL), an acute-phase protein produced by liver hepatocytes, increases in response to an infection or inflammatory response. Mannose-binding lectin acts as an opsonin for phagocytosis by macrophages and also activates the mannan-binding lectin complement pathway of the innate immune response [6,7]. Mannose-binding lectin is the initiating lectin for binding to mannose-containing carbohydrates on bacterial and viral surfaces, thus initiating activation of the mammalian mannan-binding lectin complement pathway [1e4].…”