GALECTINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

RI-YAO YANG; GABRIEL RABINOVICH; FU-TONG LIU

EXPERT REVIEWS MOLECULAR MEDICINE

Cambridge University Press

Lugar: Cambridge, UK; Año: 2008 vol. 10 p. 17 - 27

1462-3994

Galectins are a family of animal lectins that bind b-galactosides. They exist extracellularly and function by binding to cell surface and extracellular matrix glycans. Through this action, they can affect a variety of cellular processes. Galectins are also detectable in the cytosol and nucleus and can bind to other cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins by protein-protein interactions. In this manner, they are able to influence intracellular signaling pathways and regulate cellular functions. Current research indicates that galectins play important roles in diverse physiological and pathological processes, including immune and inflammatory responses, tumor development and progression, neural degeneration, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and wound repair. Some of these have been discovered or confirmed by using genetically-engineered mice deficient in a particular galectin. Thus, galectins may be a therapeutic target or employed as therapeutic agents for inflammatory diseases, cancers, and a number of other diseases.