ABSTRACT
Glycans, being a fundamental part of cell components, are involved in diverse metabolic functions such as cell signaling, cell recognition, and immunological processes. With respect to immunological processes, glycans have been implicated in both innate as well as adaptive immune systems through their involvement in immune cell differentiation, B-, and T-cell activation, protein folding, and antibody functioning, complement activation, antigen processing and presentation, and apoptosis. Aberrant glycosylation during these critical processes may lead to impaired protein expression and altered immune signaling pathways. Due to their involvement in immuno-logical processes, glycans have been found to be associated with numerous immunological diseases known to be grouped as congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG). In addition to this, the role of glycosylation is also important in host-pathogen interaction, wherein the interaction is mediated by the glycosylated surface receptors on the host cell and the glycan moieties on microbes. Keeping this in view, this chapter was designed to provide a 72deep insight into the mechanism involved behind altered glycosylation in an effort to sort out ways for the prevention of immunological disorders. Future perspectives with respect to carbohydrate vaccines and other medications such as engineered glycans and glycosidase inhibitors that may provide a valuable therapeutic approach are also included. In addition to this, the chapter also discusses the development of carbohydrate vaccines in conjugation with a suitable protein carrier.
