From mucins to mucus: toward a more coherent understanding of this essential barrier.
From mucins to mucus: toward a more coherent understanding of this essential barrier.
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DOI：
10.1513/pats.2306016
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发表时间：
2004-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Sheehan, John K
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Thornton, David J;Sheehan, John K
粘液对保护呼吸道至关重要；然而，在慢性气道疾病中，粘液分泌过多是发病率和死亡率的重要因素。黏液凝胶的性质在很大程度上是由低聚粘蛋白决定的，在过去的十年里，我们对这些复杂的o -连接糖蛋白的分子性质有了更好的了解。我们现在知道MUC5AC粘蛋白，以及MUC5B粘蛋白的不同糖型，是气道粘液中主要的凝胶形成糖蛋白。此外，这些糖蛋白的数量、分子大小和形态可以在疾病中改变。从最近的数据来看，已经清楚地表明，低聚粘蛋白本身并不构成粘液，其他粘蛋白和非粘蛋白成分必须是粘液组织和气道防御的重要贡献者。因此，未来十年的挑战将是研究低聚粘蛋白如何组织以产生“功能性”粘液。这些研究将为气道粘膜保护提供更清晰的认识，并可能突出特定成分作为治疗高分泌性疾病的治疗策略的潜在靶点。
Mucus is essential for protection of the airways; however, in chronic airway disease mucus hypersecretion is an important factor in morbidity and mortality. The properties of the mucus gel are dictated in large part by the oligomeric mucins and, over the past decade, we have gained a better understanding of the molecular nature of these complex O-linked glycoproteins. We know now that MUC5AC mucins, as well as different glycoforms of the MUC5B mucin, are the predominant gel-forming glycoproteins in airways mucus. Furthermore, the amount, molecular size, and morphology of these glycoproteins can be altered in disease. From more recent data, it has become clear that oligomeric mucins alone do not constitute mucus, and other mucin and nonmucin components must be important contributors to mucus organization and hence airways defense. Therefore, the challenge over the coming decade will be to investigate how the oligomeric mucins are organized to yield "functional" mucus. Such studies will provide a clearer perception of airways mucosal protection and may highlight specific components as potential targets for therapeutic strategies for the treatment of hypersecretory disease.