Galectin-8 in angiogenesis and other related functions

TRONCOSO, MARÍA FERNANDA; FERRAGUT. FÁTIMA; BACIGALUPO, MARÍA LORENA; CÁRDENAS DELGADO, VICTOR M.; NUGNES, LORENA G.; GENTILINI, LUCAS; LADERACH, DIEGO; WOLFENSTEIN, CARLOTA; COMPAGNO, DANIEL O.; RABINOVICH, GABRIEL A.; ELOLA, MARÍA TERESA

GLYCOBIOLOGY

OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2014 vol. 24 p. 907 - 914

0959-6658

Galectin-8 (gal-8) is a ?tandem-repeat?-type galectin, containingtwo carbohydrate recognition domains connectedby a linker peptide. gal-8 is expressed both in the cytoplasmand nucleus in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) from normaland tumor-associated blood vessels, and in lymphatic endothelialcells. Herein, we describe a novel role for gal-8 in theregulation of vascular and lymphatic angiogenesis and provideevidence of its critical implications in tumor biology.Functional assays revealed central roles for gal-8 in thecontrol of capillary-tube formation, EC migration and invivo angiogenesis. So far, two endothelial ligands have beendescribed for gal-8, namely podoplanin in lymphatic vesselsand CD166 (ALCAM, activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule)in vascular ECs. Other related gal-8 functions arealso summarized here, including cell adhesion and migration,which collectively demonstrate the multi-functionalityof this complex lectin. Thus, gal-8 is an important componentof the angiogenesis network, and an essential moleculein the extracellular matrix by providing molecular anchoringto this surrounding matrix. The implications of gal-8 intumor angiogenesis remain to be further explored, but it isexciting to speculate that modulating gal-8-glycan interactionscould be used to block lymphatic-vascular connectionsvital for metastasis.