Journal of Glycobiology
Open Access

Role of glycosylation in toll-like receptor activation and pro-inflammatory responses

Glycobiology World Congress

August 10-12, 2015 Philadelphia, USA

Myron R Szewczuk

Keynote: J Glycobiol

Abstract :

The mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are one of the families of sensor receptors that recognize pathogen-associated
molecular patterns (PAMPs). Not only are TLRs crucial sensors of microbial (e.g., viral, bacterial and parasitic) infections
in innate immune cells, they also play important roles in the pathophysiology of infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune
diseases. Thus, the intensity and duration of TLR responses against invading microbial pathogens and endogenous danger signals
must be tightly controlled. It follows that studies on the structural integrity of TLRs, their ligand interactions and signaling
components may provide important information essential to our understanding of TLR-dependent immunological protection
and disease intervention. Although the signaling pathways of TLR sensors are well characterized, the parameters controlling
interactions between these receptors and their ligands still remain poorly defined. Here, the presentation will highlight the role
of glycosylation and sialylation in TLR activation. The key interactions that induce TLR activation are identified and a novel
TLR-signaling platform is identified. A mammalian neuraminidase-1 (Neu1 sialidase) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-
9) cross-talk in alliance with the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) neuromedin B is uncovered which is essential for cell
surface and intracellular TLR-induced receptor activation, cellular signaling and pro-inflammatory responses.

Biography :

Myron Szewczuk has completed his PhD 1974 from University of Windsor in Biology and Immunochemistry and his postdoctoral studies from Cornell University Medical
College, New York City, U.S.A. in Cellular immunology with Dr. Greg Siskind (1975-1978). He is presently Full Professor of Immunology and Associate Professor of Medicine,
Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He has published more than 100 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.