Diverse functions of glycosaminoglycans in infectious diseases

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are complex carbohydrates that are expressed ubiquitously and abundantly on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix (ECM). The extraordinary structural diversity of GAGs enables them to interact with a wide variety of biological molecules. Through these interactions, GAGs modulate various biological processes, such as cell adhesion, proliferation and migration, ECM assembly, tissue repair, coagulation, and immune responses, among many others. Studies during the last several decades have indicated that GAGs also interact with microbial pathogens. GAG-pathogen interactions affect most, if not all, the key steps of microbial pathogenesis, including host cell attachment and invasion, cell-cell transmission, systemic dissemination and infection of secondary organs, and evasion of host defense mechanisms. These observations indicate that GAG-pathogen interactions serve diverse functions that affect the pathogenesis of infectious diseases.