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Immune recognition

A new receptor for β-glucans

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Abstract

The carbohydrate polymers known as β-1,3-d-glucans exert potent effects on the immune system — stimulating antitumour and antimicrobial activity, for example — by binding to receptors on macrophages and other white blood cells and activating them. Although β-glucans are known to bind to receptors, such as complement receptor 3 (ref. 1), there is evidence that another β-glucan receptor is present on macrophages. Here we identify this unknown receptor as dectin-1 (ref. 2), a finding that provides new insights into the innate immune recognition of β-glucans.

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Figure 1: Dectin-1 is a phagocytic pattern-recognition receptor that recognizes β-1,3-linked and/or β-1,6-linked glucans and intact yeast particles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK

    Gordon D. Brown & Siamon Gordon

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  1. Gordon D. Brown
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  2. Siamon Gordon
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Correspondence to Gordon D. Brown.

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Brown, G., Gordon, S. A new receptor for β-glucans. Nature 413, 36–37 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35092620

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