Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China.
Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, China.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2021 Jan;133:111066. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111066. Epub 2020 Dec 4.
Galectin-3 (gal-3), a member of the galectin family, is a glycoprotein with high affinity for β-galactoside. Gal-3 is a cytoplasmically synthesized protein that can shuttle between the cytoplasm and nucleus and can even be transported to the membrane and secreted into the extracellular environment. Cardio/cerebrovascular diseases generally refer to ischemic or hemorrhagic diseases occurring in the heart, brain and systemic tissues, which are characterized by high morbidity, high disability rates and high mortality rates. To date, considerable research has demonstrated that gal-3 expression is aberrantly increased and plays important roles in cardio/cerebrovascular diseases, such as acute ischemic stroke (AIS), myocardial fibrosis, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and heart failure (HF). Hence, understanding the biological roles of gal-3 in these diseases may be essential for cardio/cerebrovascular disease treatment and diagnosis to improve patient quality of life. In this review, we summarize current research on the roles of gal-3 in human cardiovascular diseases and potential inhibitors of gal-3, which may provide new strategies for disease therapies.
半乳糖凝集素-3（galectin-3，gal-3）是半乳糖凝集素家族的成员，是一种对β-半乳糖苷具有高亲和力的糖蛋白。Gal-3 是一种细胞质合成的蛋白质，可在细胞质和细胞核之间穿梭，甚至可以被转运到膜并分泌到细胞外环境中。心脑血管疾病一般是指发生在心脏、大脑和全身组织的缺血性或出血性疾病，其具有高发病率、高致残率和高死亡率的特点。迄今为止，大量研究表明 gal-3 表达异常增加，并在心脑血管疾病中发挥重要作用，如急性缺血性脑卒中（AIS）、心肌纤维化、急性冠状动脉综合征（ACS）和心力衰竭（HF）。因此，了解 gal-3 在这些疾病中的生物学作用可能对心脑血管疾病的治疗和诊断至关重要，以提高患者的生活质量。在这篇综述中，我们总结了 gal-3 在人类心血管疾病中的作用以及 gal-3 的潜在抑制剂的研究进展，这可能为疾病治疗提供新的策略。
