Helminth Glycans and Glycolipids as IMs

Recent studies demonstrate that carbohydrate and hpid determinants within cell surface and secreted glyco- or lipo-conjugates are capable of eliciting an immunomodulatory potential. 

In parasitic helminths, several different carbohydrate and hpid molecules from the parasitic surface or ES product are potent modulators of the host immune response. The most widely investigated helminth carbohydrate is Lacto-N-fucopentaose III (LNFPIII) and, while with respect to helminth lipid IMs, schistosomal lysophosphatidylserine (lyso-PS) is the best characterized.  

Lyso-PS was identified in a screen for innate interactions between human DCs and diflerent classes of lipids from schistosome worms or e s. Human DCs treated with schistosome phos-phatidylserine (PS) were modulated such that they primed naive T-cells to suppress proliferation of autologous T-cells, via the production of IL-10 in a TLR2-dependent manner. The specific factor that induced IL- 10-producing regulatory cells was shown to be lyso-PS.  

Cytokine and Chemokine Homoloques Flelminth Modulatory Activity Ref. 

IFN-y Trichuris muris Polarizes Th-1 immune response (inappropriate antihelminthic immune response) 35 

---