Glycobiology of leukocyte trafficking in inflammation

To fulfill their potential, leukocytes must be able to exit the vasculature and reach the site of inflammation within the tissue. This process of leukocyte extravasation is a tightly regulated sequence of events that is governed by a host of cell adhesion molecules, cytokines, chemokines and lipid mediators. Of major importance to this process and the function of many of the proteins and lipids involved is the posttranslational modification of these moieties by glycosylation. The glycosylation process is coordinated by multiple enzymes that add and remove saccharides to/from glycan structures on proteins and lipids, resulting in a unique molecular signature that affords specificity to the molecules involved in leukocyte recruitment. This review will discuss how glycosylation impacts the function of these key molecules involved in the recruitment of leukocytes during inflammation and the function of specific lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins) that have a role in leukocyte trafficking.