Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICVS), College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2022 Nov 19;21(1):253. doi: 10.1186/s12933-022-01690-7.
Galectins are β-galactoside-binding proteins that bind and crosslink molecules via their sugar moieties, forming signaling and adhesion networks involved in cellular communication, differentiation, migration, and survival. Galectins are expressed ubiquitously across immune cells, and their function varies with their tissue-specific and subcellular location. Particularly galectin-1, -3, and -9 are highly expressed by inflammatory cells and are involved in the modulation of several innate and adaptive immune responses. Modulation in the expression of these proteins accompany major processes in cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders, such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, obesity, and diabetes, making them attractive therapeutic targets. In this review we consider the broad cellular activities ascribed to galectin-1, -3, and -9, highlighting those linked to the progression of different inflammatory driven pathologies in the context of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, to better understand their mechanism of action and provide new insights into the design of novel therapeutic strategies.
半乳糖凝集素是β-半乳糖苷结合蛋白，通过其糖部分结合和交联分子，形成参与细胞通讯、分化、迁移和存活的信号和粘附网络。半乳糖凝集素在免疫细胞中广泛表达，其功能因组织特异性和亚细胞位置而异。特别是半乳糖凝集素-1、-3 和-9 在炎症细胞中高度表达，并参与几种先天和适应性免疫反应的调节。这些蛋白质表达的调节伴随着心血管疾病和代谢紊乱的主要过程，如动脉粥样硬化、血栓形成、肥胖和糖尿病，使它们成为有吸引力的治疗靶点。在这篇综述中，我们考虑了归因于半乳糖凝集素-1、-3 和-9 的广泛细胞活性，强调了与心血管和代谢疾病背景下不同炎症驱动的病理学进展相关的那些活性，以更好地理解它们的作用机制，并为设计新的治疗策略提供新的见解。
