Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Ligand Nano-cluster Arrays in a Supported Lipid Bilayer
10:34

Ligand Nano-cluster Arrays in a Supported Lipid Bilayer

Published on: April 23, 2017

Structural requirements for multimerization of the pathogen receptor dendritic cell-specific ICAM3-grabbing

Diego Serrano-Gómez1, Elena Sierra-Filardi, Rocío T Martínez-Nuñez

  • 1Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, Madrid 28040, Spain.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|December 13, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Dendritic cell-specific ICAM3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) neck variants affect cell surface multimerization and pathogen binding. These variations influence susceptibility to infections like HIV-1.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Dendritic cell-specific ICAM3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN, CD209) is a C-type lectin expressed on myeloid cells.
  • DC-SIGN recognizes ligands on pathogens such as HIV, Mycobacterium, and Aspergillus.
  • Alternative splicing and genetic variations create DC-SIGN variants found at pathogen entry sites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression and functional impact of DC-SIGN neck variants.
  • To determine how structural differences in DC-SIGN neck regions affect multimerization and ligand binding.
  • To explore the role of DC-SIGN polymorphisms in pathogen susceptibility.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of DC-SIGN expression at RNA and protein levels.
  • Structural analysis of DC-SIGN multimerization.
  • Characterization of naturally occurring DC-SIGN neck variants and polymorphisms.

Main Results:

  • DC-SIGN neck variants are expressed on dendritic and myeloid cells.
  • Multimerization depends on the lectin domain and neck region structure; glycosylation hinders oligomer formation.
  • Naturally occurring variants show altered multimerization, sugar binding, and pathogen interaction capabilities.
  • Allelic variants modulate DC-SIGN multimerization, impacting pathogen susceptibility.

Conclusions:

  • DC-SIGN neck structure variations influence its multimerization on the cell surface.
  • Polymorphisms and splicing isoforms of DC-SIGN can alter its stability and function.
  • These findings provide a molecular basis for the link between DC-SIGN variations and susceptibility to HIV-1 and other infections.

More Related Videos

Chemical Conjugation of a Purified DEC-205-Directed Antibody with Full-Length Protein for Targeting Mouse Dendritic Cells In Vitro and In Vivo10:35

Chemical Conjugation of a Purified DEC-205-Directed Antibody with Full-Length Protein for Targeting Mouse Dendritic Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Published on: February 5, 2021

An Endothelial Planar Cell Model for Imaging Immunological Synapse Dynamics09:25

An Endothelial Planar Cell Model for Imaging Immunological Synapse Dynamics

Published on: December 24, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules01:31

Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules

Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Integrins01:10

Integrins

Animal and protozoan cells do not have cell walls to help maintain shape and provide structural stability. Instead, these eukaryotic cells secrete a sticky mass of carbohydrates and proteins into the spaces between adjacent cells. This network of proteins and molecules is called an extracellular matrix or ECM.
Some ECM proteins assemble into a basement membrane to which the remaining components adhere. Proteoglycans typically form the bulk of the ECM while fibrous proteins, like collagen,...
Activation of Integrins01:15

Activation of Integrins

Integrins bind ligands and transmit information from outside the cell to inside or vice-versa through an "outside-in signaling" or "inside-out signaling."
In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding events provide an effective stimulus.
Structure of Cadherins01:25

Structure of Cadherins

The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This diversity of cadherins...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...