Center for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2023 Jul-Dec;27(10):927-937. doi: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2263912. Epub 2023 Oct 30.
Influenza A virus (IAV) is highly contagious and causes respiratory diseases in birds, mammals, and humans. Some strains of IAV, whether from human or avian sources, have developed resistance to existing antiviral drugs. Therefore, the discovery of new influenza antiviral drugs and therapeutic approaches is crucial. Recent studies have shown that galectins (Gal), a group of β-galactose-binding lectins, play a role in regulating various viral infections, including IAVs.
This review provides an overview of the roles of different galectins in IAV infection. We discuss the characteristics of galectins, their impact on IAV infection and spread, and highlight their positive or negative regulatory functions and potential mechanisms during IAV infection. Furthermore, we explore the potential application of galectins in IAV therapy.
Galectins were first identified in the mid-1970s, and currently, 15 mammalian galectins have been identified. While all galectin members possess the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) that interacts with β-galactoside, their regulatory functions vary in different DNA or RNA virus infections. Certain galectin members have been found to regulate IAV infection through diverse mechanisms. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of their roles in IAV infection is essential, as it may pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies.
甲型流感病毒（IAV）具有高度传染性，可引起鸟类、哺乳动物和人类的呼吸道疾病。一些 IAV 株，无论是源自人类还是禽类，已经对现有抗病毒药物产生了耐药性。因此，发现新的流感抗病毒药物和治疗方法至关重要。最近的研究表明，半乳糖凝集素（Gal）是一组β-半乳糖结合凝集素，在调节各种病毒感染（包括 IAV）中发挥作用。
本综述概述了不同半乳糖凝集素在 IAV 感染中的作用。我们讨论了半乳糖凝集素的特征、它们对 IAV 感染和传播的影响，并强调了它们在 IAV 感染过程中的正调控或负调控功能及其潜在机制。此外，我们探讨了半乳糖凝集素在 IAV 治疗中的潜在应用。
半乳糖凝集素于 20 世纪 70 年代中期首次被发现，目前已鉴定出 15 种哺乳动物半乳糖凝集素。虽然所有半乳糖凝集素成员都具有与β-半乳糖苷相互作用的碳水化合物识别结构域（CRD），但它们在不同的 DNA 或 RNA 病毒感染中的调节功能不同。某些半乳糖凝集素成员已被发现通过多种机制调节 IAV 感染。因此，全面了解它们在 IAV 感染中的作用至关重要，因为这可能为新的治疗策略铺平道路。
