Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Up-Regulates Sialyl Lewis X Expression in the Lung Epithelium

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Matos, R (Author) Other; Fonseca, KL (Author) Other; Mereiter, S (Author) Other; Maceiras, AR (Author) Other; Gomes, J (Author) Other; Vilaplana, C (Author) Other; Gartner, F (Author) Other; Rodrigues, P (Author) ICBAS; Celso Reis (Author) ICBAS; Saraiva, M (Author) Other; Magalhaes, A (Author) ICBAS

Journal

Title: Microorganisms

Vol. 9

Pages: 1-14

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 4 Citations

Scopus - 5 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00T-A8H

DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010099

Abstract (EN): Glycans display increasingly recognized roles in pathological contexts, however, their impact in the host-pathogen interplay in many infectious diseases remains largely unknown. This is the case for tuberculosis (TB), one of the ten most fatal diseases worldwide, caused by infection of the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We have recently reported that perturbing the core-2 O-glycans biosynthetic pathway increases the host susceptibility to M. tuberculosis infection, by disrupting the neutrophil homeostasis and enhancing lung pathology. In the present study, we show an increased expression of the sialylated glycan structure Sialyl-Lewis X (SLeX) in the lung epithelium upon M. tuberculosis infection. This increase in SLeX glycan epitope is accompanied by an altered lung tissue transcriptomic signature, with up-regulation of genes codifying enzymes that are involved in the SLeX core-2 O-glycans biosynthetic pathway. This study provides novel insights into previously unappreciated molecular mechanisms involving glycosylation, which modulate the host response to M. tuberculosis infection, possibly contributing to shape TB disease outcome.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14