Geert-Jan Boons - Böcker

The fundamental science and the latest developments in carbohydrate-based vaccinesThe relatively new field of glycoimmunology has emerged from the marriage of glycobiology and immunology, in recognition of the important role carbohydrates play as antigenic determinants. Carbohydrate-Based Vaccines and Immunotherapies comprehensively reviews the state of this exciting field, offering a single source for both the fundamental science and the latest developments.With contributions by leading experts, this resource covers the design, synthesis, evaluation, and applications of various carbohydrate-based vaccines, including polysaccharides, neoglycoproteins, and neoglycolipids. The text approaches vaccine design from a chemical and molecular focus, staying in line with current advances.Key topics covered by Carbohydrate-Based Vaccines and Immunotherapies include: Recent developments towards clinically useful vaccines against bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungiUsing adjuvants to improve immunogenicity and/or immunological properties of vaccinesChoosing and designing proper adjuvants for specific targetsAbnormal carbohydrates expressed by tumorsCarbohydrate-based therapeutic cancer vaccines or cancer immunotherapyClinical trials results for synthetic cancer vaccinesGlycoengineering of cell surface carborhydrates and its anticancer applicationsUsing cell surface carbohydrates for disease diagnosisA single, convenient source of state-of-the-art information from leading authorities in the field, Carbohydrate-Based Vaccines and Immunotherapies is an essential reference for organic chemists and biochemists, academic researchers, and other students and professionals involved in vaccine design.

This book contains contributions from interdisciplinary scientists to collectively address the issue of targeting carbohydrate recognition for the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic agents. The book covers (1) biological problems involving carbohydrate recognition, (2) structural factors mediating carbohydrate recognition, (3) design and synthesis of lectin mimics that recognize carbohydrate ligands with high specificity and affinity, and (4) modulation of biological and pathological processes through carbohydrate recognition.

The chemistry and biochemistry of carbohydrates have become key research areas throughout the world. This text brings together a range of contributors, each working in carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry, to provide a review of these areas. As a distinct chemical group, the carbohydrates, comprising mono-, oligo- and polysaccharides and their derivatives, are the most abundant group of natural products. From simple monosaccharides produced in photosynthesis to polysaccharides built in complex biochemical reactions, carbohydrates are produced in huge quantities by plant and animal life. Apart from dietary and structural uses in plants and animals, it is now well established that carbohydrates play a number of other key roles in living systems. From cell-cell recognition to hormonal activities, carbohydrates are implicated in a wide range of cellular processes. This new understanding has forced the study of carbohydrates to the forefront of modern chemical research. For example, the nature of the role of carbohydrates in living systems offers the potential to provide important lead compounds in the development of new bioactive molecules.Similarly, the relative abundance of carbohydrates is prompting research aimed at utilizing simple monosaccharides as starting materials for a range of high value chemical products, offering a renewable alternative to current starting materials. The book should be of interest to chemists, biochemists and biologists.