Multiple Functional Targets of the Immunoregulatory Activity of Galectin-1: Control of Immune Cell Trafficking, Dendritic Cell Physiology, and T-Cell Fate

DIANNE COOPER; JUAN M. ILARREGUI; SUSANA A. PESOA; DIEGO O. CROCI; MAURO PERRETTI; GABRIEL A. RABINOVICH

Methods in Enzymology

Elsevier

Año: 2010; p. 199 - 232

In the postgenomic era, the study of the glycome—the whole repertoire ofsaccharides in cells and tissues—has enabled the association of unique glycanstructures with specific physiological and pathological processes. The responsibilityfor deciphering this biological information belongs to endogenous glycan-binding proteins or lectins. Galectin-1, a prototypic member of a family ofstructurally related proteins, has demonstrated selective antiinflammatory andimmunoregulatory effects either by controlling immune cell trafficking, ‘‘finetuning’’dendritic cell physiology and regulating T-cell fate. These regulatoryfunctions mediated by an endogenous glycan-binding protein may contribute tofulfill the needs for immune cell homeostasis, including preservation of fetomaternaltolerance and prevention of collateral damage as a result of microbialinvasion or autoimmune pathology. We will discuss here the conceptual frameworkwhich led to the study of galectin–glycan lattices as a novel paradigm ofimmune cell communication in physiological and pathological processes andwill highlight selected methods and experimental strategies which have contributedto the study of the immunoregulatory activities of this multifacetedglycan-binding protein both in in vitro and in vivo biological settings.