Springer The Collectin Protein Family and Its Multiple Biological Activities

The topic of this book, Collectins, is a family of proteins whose major function is in innate immunity, where Collectins act as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). In general they recognize targets such as microbial surfaces and apoptotic cells, and once bound to a target, Collectins promote the clearance of microorganisms and damaged host tissue. New cell-surface proteins and glycoproteins, which act as Collectin receptors, are currently being identified. Some Collectins, particularly MBL, activate the complement system, which enhances the ability of antibodies to fight pathogens, via three MBL-associated proteases, the MASPs. Additionally, recent research has begun to show wider-ranging activities of Collectins, such as:  ·         Their role in metabolism, and therefore their involvement in lifestyle diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. ·         Their ability to modulate the adaptive immune response, as well as to recognize and trigger apoptosis of cancer cells, which makes them effective in the annihilation of cancer cells with multiple mutations.·         The regulation of their expression by gonadal steroid hormones implicates them with critical roles in both male and female fertility. ·         Altered levels of Collectins have been associated with various autoimmune diseases. This book brings together current knowledge of the structure, functions and biological activities of Collectins, to describe their integral role in human health. From the Back Cover The topic of this book, Collectins, is a family of proteins whose major function is in innate immunity, where Collectins act as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). In general they recognize targets such as microbial surfaces and apoptotic cells, and once bound to a target, Collectins promote the clearance of microorganisms and damaged host tissue. New cell-surface proteins and glycoproteins, which act as Collectin receptors, are currently being identified. Some Collectins, particularly MBL, activate the complement system, which enhances the ability of antibodies to fight pathogens, via three MBL-associated proteases, the MASPs. Additionally, recent research has begun to show wider-ranging activities of Collectins, such as:  ·         Their role in metabolism, and therefore their involvement in lifestyle diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. ·         Their ability to modulate the adaptive immune response, as well as to recognize and trigger apoptosis of cancer cells, which makes them                 effective in the annihilation of cancer cells with multiple mutations.·         The regulation of their expression by gonadal steroid hormones implicates them with critical roles in both male and female fertility. ·         Altered levels of Collectins have been associated with various autoimmune diseases. This book brings together current knowledge of the structure, functions and biological activities of Collectins, to describe their integral role in human health. About the Author Uday Kishore is a teacher and a scientist with special interest in innate immunity. He was the Founder Director of the Centre for Infection, Immunity and Disease Mechanisms, Brunel University London. He earned his BSc from S. P. Jain College, Sasaram, Bihar; MSc from Hindu College, Delhi; and PhD from the Department of Zoology, University of Delhi and CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India. After spending a year at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California as a NASA Fellow, he moved to the University of Oxford for the most part of his post-doctoral training, first at the MRC Immunochemistry Unit, Department of Biochemistry and then at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital. His previous positions include NASA fellow, Wellcome Trust International Fellow and Alexander Humboldt fellow. He is also the recipient of MRC Investigator Pr