# Regulation of the immune cell glycome in corneal injury

> **NIH NIH R01** · SCHEPENS EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2020 · $295,027

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The immune system consists of billions of specialized cells in constant motion that function to maintain
homeostasis within the human body. Among them, monocytes are a population of circulating mononuclear
cells that can cross the vascular endothelium and move into sites if inflammation, where they participate in the
clearance of pathogens and the repairing of damaged tissue. The ability of certain monocytes to express
components of the extracellular matrix defines them as fibrocytes. This cell population has recently come
under intense scrutiny due to their pathological contribution to chronic inflammation and fibrosis in a variety of
organs, including the cornea.
 Critical to the functions of the immune cells is the glycocalyx, a diverse mixture of glycans that functions as
the primary interface with the environment. Glycans play a vital role in both the innate and adaptive immune
systems by regulating signaling pathways and the activation of multiple cell types. The Lewis blood group
antigens are among the most important cell surface glycan determinants in immunology, as they promote
interaction with cell adhesion molecules expressed on the surface of endothelial cells. Because of its
significance to the immune reponse, there has been a need for the past few years to define how the glycome
of immune cells is regulated.
 It has become increasingly clear that galectins play a critical role as modulators of the immune response.
They can interact with cell surface receptors to promote cell differentiation, affect cell growth and survival, and
modulate cell adhesion. We hypothesize that galectins play a dynamic role in the regulation of the immune
response by directing the immune cell glycome. The following specific aims will address this objective: (1) to
determine whether galectins influence the glycome of human mononuclear cells, (2) to investigate the role of
galectin-3 as a functional regulator of the sialyl Lewis X antigen in activated monocytes, and (3) to investigate
the role of galectin-3-dependent glycosylation in the trafficking and accumulation of corneal fibrocytes. It is
anticipated that this research will have significant translational impact given the impact of circulating fibrocytes
to wound healing and scar formation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10050930
- **Project number:** 1R01EY030928-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** SCHEPENS EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Pablo Argueso
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $295,027
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10050930

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10050930, Regulation of the immune cell glycome in corneal injury (1R01EY030928-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10050930. Licensed CC0.

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