Ficolin

Ficolins (Fi+Col+Lin) are a group of oligomeric lectins with subunits consisting of both collagen (Col)-like long thin stretches and fibrinogen (Fi)-like globular domains with lectin (Lin) activity usually specific for N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc).[1] Like collectins (Col+lectin) such as mannan-binding lectin, ficolins are secreted, lectin-type (soluble) pattern recognition receptors, and similarly activate the lectin pathway of complement activation.

Examples of human ficolins include:

  1. FCN1
  2. FCN2
  3. FCN3

Ficolin-2 and 3 are expressed by hepatocytes, thus their levels decrease in advanced liver diseases like cirrhosis. Low ficolin levels contribute to cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction.[2]

Immunologist Jeak L. Ding and her team found that natural IgG (nIgG; a non-specific immunoglobulin of adaptive immunity) is not quiescent, but plays a crucial role in immediate immune defense by collaborating with ficolin (an innate immune protein).

References
  1. Matsushita, Misao (2010). "Ficolins: Complement-Activating Lectins Involved in Innate Immunity". Journal of Innate Immunity. 2 (1): 24–32. doi:10.1159/000228160. PMID 20375620.
  2. Foldi, Ildiko; Tornai, Tamas; Tornai, David; Sipeki, Nora; Vitalis, Zsuzsanna; Tornai, Istvan; Dinya, Tamas; Antal‐Szalmas, Peter; Papp, Maria (2017). "Lectin-complement pathway molecules are decreased in patients with cirrhosis and constitute the risk of bacterial infections". Liver International. 37 (7): 1023–1031. doi:10.1111/liv.13368. hdl:2437/234045. ISSN 1478-3231.
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