C-type lectin receptors in skin immunity: Emerging new role for CLEC12B

Abstract

C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) are a superfamily of transmembrane proteins, which consist of one or several C-type lectin-like domains and intracellular signaling motifs, such as immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) or immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM). CLRs are mostly expressed on antigen-presenting cells and are known to play an important role in both innate and adaptive immunity. As a result, CLRs are involved in numerous physiological functions due to their ability to recognize pathogen-, tumor-, and damaged-associated molecular patterns on pathogens and host cells acting as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). These immune receptors can respond to signals from the surrounding environment which has a direct and profound effect on the skin, the largest organ in the body and the only one that is in direct contact with the external environmental stimuli. The skin is colonized by a plethora of microorganisms constituting the skin microbiota and plays a central role in host defense against potentially pathogenic microbes including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Skin dysbiosis has been shown to play a critical role in initiation of skin disease and/or induction of a local inflammatory environment. In this review, we discuss what is known about CLRs in skin immunity and their contribution to skin disease, with a special focus on a newly identified and a promising new CLR, CLEC12B.

Keywords

• clec12b
• c-type lectins
• melanoma
• pigmentation
• skin immunity