Journal Article

Role of Galectins in Tumors and in Clinical Immunotherapy

Sytwu, Huey-Kang, Kuo, Chih-Chi, Chen, Heng-Yi, Chou, Feng-Cheng

2018

Overview

Galectins are glycan-binding proteins that contain one or two carbohydrate domains and mediate multiple biological functions. By analyzing clinical tumor samples, the abnormal expression of galectins is known to be linked to the development, progression and metastasis of cancers. Galectins also have diverse functions on different immune cells that either promote inflammation or dampen T cell-mediated immune responses, depending on cognate receptors on target cells. Thus, tumor-derived galectins can have bifunctional effects on tumor and immune cells. This review focuses on the biological effects of galectin-1, galectin-3 and galectin-9 in various cancers and discusses anticancer therapies that target these molecules.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Animals / Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use / Apoptosis / Biology / Breast cancer / Cell adhesion & migration / Cell growth / Chemokines / Colorectal cancer / Endometrial cancer / Galectin 1 - antagonists & inhibitors / Galectin 1 - genetics / Galectin 1 - metabolism / Galectin 3 - antagonists & inhibitors / Galectin 3 - genetics / Galectin 3 - metabolism / Galectins - antagonists & inhibitors / Galectins - genetics / Galectins - metabolism / Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - drug effects / Glycoproteins / Humans / Immune response / Immunology / Immunotherapy / Ligands / Lymphatic system / Lymphocytes / Medical prognosis / Melanoma / Metastasis / Molecular Targeted Therapy - methods / Neoplasms - drug therapy / Neoplasms - genetics / Neoplasms - metabolism / Review / Signal transduction / Thyroid gland / Tumors