Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) tailor adaptive immune responses to specific pathogens. This diversity is mediated by cooperation between different pattern recognition receptors that are triggered by specific pathogens. DC-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) is a pattern recognition receptor with a broad pathogen recognition specificity as a result of its affinity for mannose and fucose carbohydrates. DC-SIGN induces very diverse immune responses to different pathogens, such as bacteria, fungi, helminths and viruses. Recent data show that DC-SIGN triggering by pathogens modulates Toll-like receptor signaling at the level of nuclear factor-κB. In this article, we will discuss the signaling pathways induced by DC-SIGN and its central role in the regulation of adaptive immunity to bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
Jeroen den Dunnen is supported by a grant from the Dutch Scientific Research program (NWO 912-904-025). Sonja I Gringhuis is supported by the Dutch Asthma Foundation (3.2.03.39). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.