Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Greenville, SC 29605, USA.
Prisma Health, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Greenville, SC 29605, USA.
Biomolecules. 2020 Feb 4;10(2):230. doi: 10.3390/biom10020230.
Galectins are a family of β-galactoside-binding proteins that contribute to multiple cellular functions, including immune surveillance and apoptosis. Human galectins are also important regulators of inflammation, making them a research target for various inflammatory diseases and tumorigenesis associated with pro-inflammatory conditions. This review focuses on the involvement of human galectins in modulation of inflammation and in the pathophysiology of endometriosis and endometriosis-associated neoplasms. Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with unknown etiology. Galectins -1, -3 and -9 were found to be overexpressed in ectopic and eutopic endometrium of females with endometriosis compared to those without endometriosis. These findings suggest galectins' role in the progression on endometriotic lesions and their potential use as diagnostic biomarkers and/or targets for therapeutic approaches. Galectins -1, -3, and -9 have also been implicated in the development of endometriosis-associated neoplasms. Furthermore, galectin-3 has been shown to interact with KRAS protein and contribute to cellular growth, proliferation, inflammation, and the uptake of nutrients in endometriotic lesions and may be involved in the maintenance and propagation of endometriosis. These galectins have been shown to be upregulated in certain forms of cervical, ovarian, endometrial, and colon cancer associated with endometriosis and have become a potential target for anti-cancer therapies.
半乳糖凝集素是一类β-半乳糖苷结合蛋白，参与多种细胞功能，包括免疫监视和细胞凋亡。人类半乳糖凝集素也是炎症的重要调节剂，因此成为各种与炎症相关的疾病和肿瘤发生的研究靶点。本综述重点介绍了人类半乳糖凝集素在调节炎症以及子宫内膜异位症和与子宫内膜异位症相关的肿瘤的病理生理学中的作用。子宫内膜异位症是一种病因不明的慢性炎症性疾病。与无子宫内膜异位症的女性相比，子宫内膜异位症患者的异位和在位子宫内膜中发现半乳糖凝集素-1、-3 和 -9 过表达。这些发现表明半乳糖凝集素在子宫内膜异位症病变的进展中起作用，并且它们可能作为诊断生物标志物和/或治疗方法的靶点。半乳糖凝集素-1、-3 和 -9 也与子宫内膜异位症相关的肿瘤的发展有关。此外，半乳糖凝集素-3 已被证明与 KRAS 蛋白相互作用，并有助于细胞生长、增殖、炎症以及子宫内膜异位症病灶中营养物质的摄取，并且可能参与子宫内膜异位症的维持和传播。这些半乳糖凝集素在与子宫内膜异位症相关的某些形式的宫颈癌、卵巢癌、子宫内膜癌和结肠癌中上调，并成为癌症治疗的潜在靶点。
