What does galectin-3 do?
Function. Galectin-3 is a carbohydrate-binding lectin that is secreted by macrophages and is best known for its regulatory functions in inflammation, immunity, and cancer.
What cells express galectin-3?
Galectin-3 is widely expressed in human tissues, including all types of immune cell (macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, eosinophils, mast cells, natural killer cells, and activated T and B cells), epithelial cells, endothelial cells and sensory neurons (3,6).
What do galectins do?
Galectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are involved in many physiological functions, such as inflammation, immune responses, cell migration, autophagy and signalling. They are also linked to diseases such as fibrosis, cancer and heart disease.
What increases galectin3?
Galectin-3 is a biomarker of heart disease. However, it remains unknown whether increase in galectin-3 levels is dependent on aetiology or disease-associated conditions and whether diseased heart releases galectin-3 into the circulation.
What is a normal galectin level?
The patient’s galectin-3 level was 21.8 ng/ml. In recent research, the average value for galectin-3 in the general population was found to be 11.7 ng/ml [5]. In patients with congestive heart failure, abnormal levels for the galectin-3 ELISA test measure >17.8 ng/ml.
What is soluble ST2?
The soluble form of ST2 is a decoy receptor that inhibits beneficial cardioprotective effects of IL-33; such inhibition results in cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, and ventricular dysfunction. Measurement of soluble ST2 has utility for assessing heart failure severity and prognosis.
What are galectin-3 levels?
The galectin-3 level was categorized into 2 groups: low (<17.8 ng/mL) and high (>17.8 ng/mL). Subsequently, patients were classified into 4 groups of galectin-3 level change as follows: (1) low-to-low; (2) high-to-low; (3) low-to-high; and (4) high-to-high.
How many types of lectins are there?
Lectins are classified primarily into five specificity groups, according to the monosaccharide for which they exhibit the highest affinity: mannose, galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, fucose, and N-acetylneuraminic acid (sugars are of the d-configuration except for fucose which is l).
How many galectins are there?
In humans, there are 12 identified galectins, some with tissue-specific distribution. Galectins are found inside cells and in the nucleus, cytosol, and organelles, as well as extracellularly. Galectin-1, -2, -3, -4, -7, -8, -9, and -12 can all induce T-cell apoptosis and modulate inflammation.
Where are galectins found?
Galectin-5 and -6 are found in rodents, whereas galectin-11 and -15 are uniquely found in sheep and goats. Members of the galectin family have also been discovered in other mammals, birds, amphibians, fish, nematodes, sponges, and some fungi.
What is Belapectin?
Belapectin (GR-MD-02) is a proprietary galactoarabino-rhamnogalacturonan polysaccharide polymer comprising galacturonic acid, galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and smaller amounts of other sugars. Structural studies have shown that belapectin binds to galectin-1 and galectin-3, with greater binding affinity to galectin-3.
What is ST2 level?
ST2 is a member of the interleukin-1 receptor family biomarker and circulating soluble ST2 concentrations are believed to reflect cardiovascular stress and fibrosis. Recent studies have demonstrated soluble ST2 to be a strong predictor of cardiovascular outcomes in both chronic and acute heart failure.
What is the role of galectin-3 in cancer?
Galectin-3 in cancer Galectin-3 (Gal-3) plays important roles in cell proliferation, adhesion, differentiation, angiogenesis and apoptosis in normal and pathologic tissues. Accumulated evidences indicate that Gal-3 is closely involved in tumor cell transformation, migration, invasion and metastasis.
Is galectin-3 a carbohydrate-binding protein?
Galectin-3 is a pleiotropic carbohydrate-binding protein involved in a variety of normal and pathological biological processes. Its carbohydrate-binding properties constitute the basis for cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and cancer progression. Modulation of galectin-3 expression in cancer cells has indeed been reported.
Does the galectin-3 gene affect susceptibility to NNK-induced lung tumors?
Targeted disruption of the galectin-3 gene results in decreased susceptibility to NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis: an oligonucleotide microarray study. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2008;134(7):777–88.
Is galectin-3 a chemoattractant for monocytes?
Human galectin-3 is a novel chemoattractant for monocytes and macrophages. J Immunol. 2000;165(4):2156–64. Epub 2000/08/05.