Design and synthesis of multivalent α-1,2-trimannose-linked bioerodible microparticles for applications in immune response studies of infection.

Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease, currently infects approximately 12 million people worldwide with 1 to 2 million new cases each year in predominately underdeveloped countries. The treatment of the disease is severely underdeveloped due to the ability of the pathogen to evade and abate immune responses. In an effort to develop anti-leishmaniasis vaccines and adjuvants, novel carbohydrate-based probes were made to study the mechanisms of immune modulation.

Leishmania-Derived Trimannose Modulates the Inflammatory Response To Significantly Reduce Leishmania major-Induced Lesions.

lipophosphoglycan (LPG) is a key virulence factor, initiating inflammation resulting in cutaneous lesions. LPG is capped by various oligosaccharides. How these glycans are recognized and how they alter the course of infection are poorly understood.