Gal1 and its specific glycans regulate mucosal homeostasis in experimental models of colitis

MOROSI L; MAY M; MARIÑO KV; MORALES R; CUTINE AM; RABINOVICH GA; TOSCANO MA

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta Sociedades de Biociencias; 2017

Interactions between glycans and endogenous lectins are crucial in the development and resolution of many chronic inflammatory diseases. Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a glycan-binding protein that recognizes N- and O-glycans bearing terminal N-acetyllactosamine, can exert protective immunomodulatory activities in different chronic inflammation models, including TNBS-induced colitis. However, the role of endogenous Gal-1 in mucosal homeostasis and intestinal immunoregulation are still poorly understood.We evaluated the development of TNBS-induced colitis in C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) mice, and in animals devoid of Gal-1 (Lgals1-/-) or enzymes involved in the generation or masking of Gal-1-glycoepitopes: Gcnt1 (generation of core-2 O-glycans) and St6gal1 (terminal α2,6 sialylation of N-glycans). Finally, we compared the development of colitis mediated by adoptive transfer of Gcnt1-/- or St6gal1-/- CD4+CD45BRhigh T cells in Rag2-/- mice.