Complex carbohydrates: structure, function and vaccines

复合碳水化合物：结构、功能和疫苗

• 批准号: 283115-2007
• 负责人: Monteiro, Mario
• 金额: $ 2.7万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2008-01-01 至 2009-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=395568
• 关键词: Complex; carbohydrates; structure; function; vaccines

Carbohydrates are a major component of bacteria, plants and mammalian cells. Our research program focuses on the fine structural characterization and functional role of such complex carbohydrates, and in the use of these organism-specific carbohydrates in drug and vaccine preparations. The majority of our attention is directed at deciphering the complex polysaccharide structures expressed by infectious bacteria by using chemical methods and analytical techniques, such as, mass-spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We are interested in pursuing the study of medically important bacteria, for example, the recently discovered Alloiococcus otitidis, which is responsible for middle-ear infections in humans. We are also engaged in studying the chemical structures and immunochemical properties of metabolites and polysaccharides from health-related plants, such as, St. John's Wort, and of mammalian cells involved in embryogenesis. It is now well accepted that polysaccharides are capable of eliciting the immune system to raise polysaccharide-specific antibodies and in enhancing the immune systems' defensive mechanism as a whole. Hence, one of our ultimate research objectives is aimed at employing these novel structurally-defined carbohydrates as protective antigens in prophylactic glycoconjugate vaccines and therapeutic drugs.

碳水化合物是细菌、植物和哺乳动物细胞的主要成分。 我们的研究计划侧重于这些复杂碳水化合物的精细结构表征和功能作用，以及这些生物体特异性碳水化合物在药物和疫苗制剂中的应用。 我们的大部分注意力都集中在通过使用化学方法和分析技术，如质谱和核磁共振光谱来破译感染性细菌表达的复杂多糖结构。 我们有兴趣继续研究医学上重要的细菌，例如，最近发现的耳炎异球菌，它是人类中耳感染的原因。我们还从事研究与健康有关的植物，如圣约翰草的代谢产物和多糖的化学结构和免疫化学特性，以及与胚胎发生有关的哺乳动物细胞。 现在普遍认为多糖能够引起免疫系统产生多糖特异性抗体，并增强免疫系统的整体防御机制。 因此，我们的最终研究目标之一是采用这些新的结构确定的碳水化合物作为预防性糖缀合物疫苗和治疗药物的保护性抗原。