Abstract
Galectins are a family of animal lectins with conserved carbohydrate-recognition domains for β-galactoside. Galectin-3 is the only family member that is composed of a glycine/proline-rich N-terminal repeated sequence and a C-terminal carbohydrate-binding domain. Multiple functions of galectin-3 have been reported, depending on its location. Extracelluar galectin-3 can bind to cell surface through glycosylated proteins and thereby trigger or modulate cellular responses such as mediator release or apoptosis. Intracellular galectin-3 has been reported to inhibit apoptosis, regulate the cell cycle, and participate in the nuclear splicing of pre-mRNA. Recent studies have revealed that galectin-3 is expressed in a variety of cell types in the immune system, constitutively or in response to microbial invasion. These studies implicate galectin-3 in both innate and adaptive immune responses, where it participates in the activation or differentiation of immune cells. This review summarizes the roles of galectin-3 in the immune system and discusses the possible underlying mechanisms.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 497-504 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Archivum immunologiae et therapiae experimentalis |
Volume | 53 |
Issue number | 6 |
State | Published - Nov 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Galectin
- Galectin-3
- Immune response
- Immunity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology