Search Results (45)

Recognition and binding to β-galactose-containing carbohydrates and lipids are crucial for several fundamental biological processes that are mediated primarily by a family of proteins known as galectins (S-type lectins). Galectins in the human placenta regulate critical processes such as maternal–fetal immune tolerance, trophoblast invasion, vascular remodeling and angiogenesis, ensuring proper fetal development and preventing pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and miscarriage. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a widespread complication of pregnancy, affecting approximately 1 in 7 pregnancies, and its incidence is increasing globally, indicating a particularly strong association with the obesity pandemic. Profiles of placental expression and distribution of individual galectins significantly change during the course of GDM. This is accompanied by placental dysfunction, which is especially severe with poor glycemic control. The aim of this review is to present the current state of knowledge on the involvement of abnormal galectin signaling in the pathomechanisms of GDM-associated placental dysfunction. Further research is needed to determine whether changes in placental galectins occur secondary to metabolic abnormalities in GDM or are involved as a primary cause. Galectins present in placental tissue and serum should be validated as potential biomarkers of GDM. Full article

Introduction: The one-step membrane technique, derived from the Masquelet induced membrane technique, uses human acellular dermal matrix (hADM) that is wrapped around the bone defect to bypass membrane induction, reducing treatment time. Pre-colonization of hADM with bone marrow cells (BMC), particularly after CD8⁺ T cell depletion, enhances bone regeneration. This study examined how CD8⁺ T cell depletion alters the proteins accumulated in the hADM during early healing. Materials and Methods: Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats received 5 mm femoral defects filled with autologous bone chips and wrapped with hADM, hADM + BMC, or hADM + BMC-CD8. hADMs were recovered on days 3 and 7 (n = 3/group/timepoint), incubated ex vivo, and conditioned medium analyzed with a proteome profiler detecting 79 proteins. Results: The protein content of the hADM evolved dynamically. At day three, 41 proteins were detected, rising to 47 by day seven, with RGM-A, osteoprotegerin, LIF, IL-6, CCL20, and CCL17 emerging late, consistent with increased regenerative activity. CD8⁺ T cell depletion suppressed early inflammatory and pro-osteogenic mediators (e.g., CCL2, IGF-I, IL-1RA) while upregulating LIX. By day seven, regenerative mediators (CCL20, GDF-15, RGM-A) were enriched, whereas inflammatory factors (CCL21, IL-1a, WISP-1) declined. MMP-9, Galectin-1, and GDF-15 increased exclusively in the CD8-depleted group. Conclusions: The hADM protein content transitions from pro-inflammatory to pro-regenerative within one week after surgery. CD8⁺ T cell depletion accelerates this shift, highlighting hADM as a dynamic scaffold that contributes to the immune–regenerative crosstalk in bone healing. Full article

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated skin disorder characterized by accelerated epidermal turnover. Galectins are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins that play crucial roles in various biological processes. Methods: This study aimed to assess the plasma concentrations of galectin 7 and 8 (gal-7 and 8) in 60 psoriatic patients compared to the control group of 30 individuals without dermatoses. Results: The median gal-7 plasma concentration in patients was 188.8 (11.43–1406) pg/mL, and it was significantly higher than in controls (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between gal-7 concentration and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI; R = 0.3, p = 0.0199), and a negative with RBC (R = −0.41, p < 0.001), hemoglobin concentration (R = −0.34, p < 0.01), total cholesterol (R = −0.38, p < 0.01) and LDL concentration (R = −0.36, p < 0.05). In contrast, gal-7 was not correlated with psoriasis duration or patients’ age or sex (p > 0.05). The median gal-8 plasma concentration in patients was 0.07 (0.02–0.5) ng/mL, and was significantly higher in patients than controls (p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between gal-8 concentration and glucose concentration (R = 0.26, p < 0.05). Gal-8 concentration was not correlated with PASI, BMI, age or sex of patients (p > 0.05). We also analyzed the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to evaluate the predictive power of gal-7 and 8 for psoriasis. Gal-7 achieved statistical significance in predicting psoriasis and had an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.842 (p < 0.001), a sensitivity of 80%, and a specificity of 86.7%, whereas gal-8 had an AUC value of 0.644 (p = 0.025), a sensitivity of 81%, and a specificity of 47%. Conclusions: Gal-7 and gal-8 could potentially serve as psoriasis biomarkers, whereby gal-7 could also serve as a marker of its severity. Future studies are needed to clarify their actual role or potential as therapeutic targets in psoriasis. Understanding their precise functions may open new perspectives for personalized treatment strategies in psoriatic patients. Full article

During the preimplantation period, the nutrition of the embryo is dependent on luminal secretions of the uterus, which can be modified by the health status of the animal. The aim of this study was to mimic the paracrine communication between healthy or LPS-stressed epithelial endometrial cells (EECs) and embryos using aa transwell plate. The rate of in vitro embryo production, size, and concentration of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and level of secretion of Galectin-9 (Gal-9) and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) were detected. Embryos were produced with an established protocol of oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and in vitro embryo culture (IVC). On day 55 of IVC, one hour before the transfer of morulae in the basolateral compartment of the transwell, EECs were treated with 10 ng/mL of LPS, and IVC was continued until the eleventh day. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were obtained from IVC medium by ultracentrifugation. Levels of Gal-9 and LIF were evaluated by ELISA. On day 7, the results did not show statistically different blastocyst rates between EECs+Embryo and EECs+LPS+Embryo (34.94 ± 1.95% and 33.06 ± 3.08%, respectively). On day 11, the rate of hatched blastocysts was 23.03 ± 3.18% in EECs+Embryo, while in EECs+LPS+Embryo, no hatching was observed. Nanosight revealed higher values in EV size and concentration in EECs+LPS+Embryo medium compared to EECs+Embryo (p < 0.05). In LPS-treated samples, there was a significant decrease in Gal-9 levels and a significant increase in LIF secretions compared with non-non-LPS-treated samples (p < 0.05). These results highlight how bidirectional secretions between EECs and embryos, crucial for embryo development, can be affected by endometritis. Full article

Coccomyxa parasitica-like algae pose a growing threat to bivalve aquaculture. In this work, for the first time under controlled conditions, the effect of the green parasitic microalgae of genus Coccomyxa sp. in the Sea of Japan on the immune and antioxidant protection of Mytilus galloprovincialis was studied in two ways of infection—through filtration (with feed) and injection (into an adductor). By day 7, mortality in both experimental groups reached 68%. The phagocytic activity of hemocytes significantly decreased in the feed group, which may be due to the masking of the parasite as a food particle. Despite transcriptional activation of catalase and superoxide dismutase genes in hemocytes upon injection, a decrease in enzyme activity and an increase in lipid peroxidation were observed in the gills, indicating local oxidative stress. Catalase activity in the gills was increased when mussels receive cells as food. DNA damage in hemocytes did not reach statistical significance. After injection, there was a significant decrease in the galectin gene expression. The data obtained confirm that Coccomyxa sp. is an active parasite capable of infecting the Mediterranean mussel and modulating the host’s defense systems. Full article

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in chronic kidney disease populations. The risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) is greater than that of progression to end-stage kidney disease. An exponential increase in mortality risk is associated with declining kidney function. This study aimed to review the current landscape of traditional and novel blood biomarkers in predicting MACE in ESKD patients. Methods: The systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024497403). Standard and extensive Cochrane search methods were used. The latest search date was July 2023. Participants were aged ≥18 years with end-stage kidney disease. Descriptive analysis was performed and data was presented in tabular form. The hazard ratio or odds ratio was presented for potential biomarkers discovered. Results: Overall, 14 studies (4965 participants) were included for analysis; 12 focused on participants requiring haemodialysis and 2 on haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The biomarkers analysed were Troponin I (n = 3), Troponin T (n = 3), B-type natriuretic peptide (n = 2), N-Terminal Pro-Brain-Natriuretic Peptide (n = 7), soluble receptors for advanced glycation end products (n = 2), Galectin 3 (n = 4), and the serum-soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (n = 2). Reported study outcomes included all-cause mortality (n = 11), MACE (n = 5), cardiac specific mortality (n = 6), sudden cardiac death (n = 2), and first cardiovascular event (n = 3). Conclusions: This review outlines the potential role of traditional and novel biomarkers in predicting MACE in end-stage kidney disease. Further larger-scale research is required to establish the validity of the study outcomes to develop new methods of cardiovascular risk prediction in this high-risk population. Full article

Objectives: The current standard of care for endocrine tumors includes a personalized diagnostic and therapeutic approach aimed at the early detection of tumor recurrence after radical surgery. Assessment of tumor-associated biological factors in serum may be useful in patient management. The aim of this study is to determine whether any of the selected growth factors (VEGF, FGF), lectins (Galectin-1, Galectin-3), proteins (Fascin), or TNF-α measured in serum may serve as a potential marker of recurrence. Methods: A total of 68 cases, including 43 patients with disseminated endocrine neoplasm (neuroendocrine tumor (NET) 30 cases, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) 6 cases, adrenal neoplasm 7 cases) and 25 healthy participants, were included in the analysis. Serum concentrations of TNF-α, Fascin, VEGF, Galectin-1, Galectin-3, and FGF were determined in all cases. The results were compared between groups. Results: A comparison between all patients and controls revealed differences in TNF-α concentrations (2.88 vs. 0.93 (ng/mL), p = 0.008). When comparing the concentrations of the measured factors between the subgroups (classified by tumor type) and the control group, differences were found for TNF-α (p = 0.007) and Fascin (p = 0.035). In the case of Fascin, differences were found for MTC and adrenal neoplasm patients (0.52 vs. 5.28 (ng/mL), p = 0.048), as well as MTC and NET patients (0.52 vs. 5.59 (ng/mL), p = 0.007), while the differences between NET patients and controls were close to significance (5.59 vs. 3.67 (ng/mL), p = 0.076). For TNF-α, significant differences were found between NET patients and controls (2.88 vs. 0.03 (ng/mL), p = 0.005) as well as between MTC patients and controls (2.77 vs. 0.93 (ng/mL), p = 0.004). Conclusions: Serum concentrations of selected proteins and growth factors (Fascin, TNF-α) are significantly higher in those with disseminated endocrine tumors compared to healthy controls. More studies are needed to determine the role of these selected proteins and growth factors in the early detection of NET/MTC recurrence. Full article

Gal-3, also known as galectin-3, a lectin that binds β-galactosides, has gained attention as a novel biomarker and pathophysiological mediator in cardiovascular disease, where it contributes to inflammation, fibrosis, metabolic dysregulation and cardiac remodeling. This narrative review, developed following SANRA (Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles) guidelines, aims to integrate current clinical and experimental findings on gal-3 into the American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) and Life’s Essential 8 (LE8). By thematically organizing our review across modifiable domains of cardiovascular health, including glucose regulation, lipid metabolism, physical activity, blood pressure, diet, sleep, tobacco use, and body weight (BMI, body mass index), we highlight the role of gal-3 in linking environmental, behavioral and molecular risk factors to cardiometabolic outcomes. Particular attention is given to the oxidative stress, inflammatory–fibrotic axis, and immune activation as mechanistic pathways underlying gal-3-associated cardiovascular damage. We also discuss its relevance to public health and prevention, considering gal-3’s potential for early risk stratification, monitoring lifestyle interventions and personalized prevention strategies. This review bridges molecular mechanisms with clinical and public health relevance, particularly in the context of environmental and lifestyle-related cardiovascular risk. Full article

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disease characterized by the proliferation of plasma cells, primarily in the bone marrow. It accounts for approximately 1% of all cancers and 10% of hematologic malignancies. Clinical manifestations include hypercalcemia, anemia, renal failure, and bone lesions. The pathogenesis of MM involves complex interactions between myeloma cells and their microenvironment. Galectins, a family of β-galactoside-binding proteins, particularly galectin-1, -3, -4, -7, and -9, have been implicated in MM development. This study aimed to assess the plasma levels of these galectins in newly diagnosed MM patients and explore their correlation with clinical parameters. Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients at the Oncohematology Service of the Hospital de Câncer de Pernambuco, and galectin levels were measured using ELISA. Plasma levels of galectins-3, -7, and -9 were significantly higher in MM patients compared to the control group. Three clusters of MM patients were identified based on galectin plasma levels, with cluster 3, characterized by high levels of galectin-1, -4, and -7, being associated with a worse prognosis. A strong positive correlation was found between galectin-1, -4, and -7 levels and markers of kidney function (urea, creatinine, and β2-microglobulin), while negative correlations were observed with hematocrit and hemoglobin. Additionally, galectin-9 showed high accuracy in distinguishing MM patients from healthy controls (AUC = 0.931). Elevated galectin levels were indicative of disease aggressiveness and renal impairment in MM patients. Overall, our findings suggest that galectins-1, -4, -7, and -9 could serve as potential biomarkers for MM progression and severity, warranting further investigation into their utility in MM diagnosis and treatment. Full article

Modified citrus pectin (MCP) modulates galectin-3, a key player in neuroinflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease. By inhibiting galectin-3, MCP reduces the brain’s inflammatory response and may alleviate cognitive decline. This study examines MCP’s impact on neuroinflammation, cognitive function, and its role in galectin-3 inhibition in a dementia model. Male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: control (n = 6), scopolamine (SCP) (n = 7), SCP + MCP (n = 7), and MCP only (n = 7). MCP was administered orally at 100 mg/kg/day via drinking water for six weeks. SCP was injected intraperitoneally at 1 mg/kg for seven days to induce an Alzheimer’s-type dementia model. The researchers assessed cognitive performance through the Morris Water Maze (MWM) test. After behavioral tests, blood and brain tissues, including the hippocampus, were collected and stored at −80 °C for analysis. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and galectin-3). The data were analyzed with SPSS 22. SCP treatment increased lipid peroxidation (MDA) and elevated inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6, and galectin-3), while reducing BDNF and impairing spatial memory. Co-administering MCP with SCP significantly reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and galectin-3 levels; increased BDNF; and improved memory performance. Although MCP did not lower MDA levels, it boosted SOD activity, suggesting antioxidant effects. Modified citrus pectin (MCP) alleviated cognitive impairments and reduced neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s-type dementia by inhibiting galectin-3. MCP also exhibited antioxidant potential, underscoring its therapeutic promise for neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) are economically significant species in Mediterranean countries, serving essential roles in the aquaculture industry due to high market demand and nutritional value. They experience substantial losses from bacterial pathogens Vibrio anguillarum and Streptococcus iniae, particularly at the onset of the summer season. The immune mechanisms involved in fish infections by V. anguillarum and S. iniae remain poorly understood. This study investigated their impact through experiments with control and V. anguillarum- and S. iniae-infected groups for each species. Blood samples were collected at 1, 3, and 7 days post bacterial injection to assess biochemical and immunological parameters, including enzyme activities (AST and ALT), oxidative markers (SOD, GPX, CAT, and MDA), and leukocyte counts. Further analyses included phagocyte activity, lysozyme activity, IgM levels, and complement C3 and C4 levels. Muscle tissues were sampled at 1, 3, and 7 days post injection to assess mRNA expression levels of 18 immune-relevant genes. The focus was on cytokines and immune-related genes, including pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, TNF-β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and IFN-γ), major histocompatibility complex components (MHC-IIα and MHC-IIβ), cytokine receptors (CXCL-10 and CD4-L2), antimicrobial peptides (Pleurocidin and β-defensin), immune regulatory peptides (Thymosin β12, Leap 2, and Lysozyme g), and Galectins (Galectin-8 and Galectin-9). β-actin was used as the housekeeping gene for normalization. Significant species-specific responses were observed in N. Tilapia and E. Sea Bass when infected with V. anguillarum and S. iniae, highlighting differences in biochemical, immune, and gene expression profiles. Notably, in N. Tilapia, AST levels significantly increased by day 7 during S. iniae infection, reaching 45.00 ± 3.00 (p < 0.05), indicating late-stage acute stress or tissue damage. Conversely, E. Sea Bass exhibited a significant rise in ALT levels by day 7 in the S. iniae group, peaking at 33.5 ± 3.20 (p < 0.05), suggesting liver distress or a systemic inflammatory response. On the immunological front, N. Tilapia showed significant increases in respiratory burst activity on day 1 for both pathogens, with values of 0.28 ± 0.03 for V. anguillarum and 0.25 ± 0.02 for S. iniae (p < 0.05), indicating robust initial immune activation. Finally, the gene expression analysis revealed a pronounced peak of TNF-α in E. Sea Bass by day 7 post V. anguillarum infection with a fold change of 6.120, suggesting a strong species-specific pro-inflammatory response strategy. Understanding these responses provides critical insights for enhancing disease management and productivity in aquaculture operations. Full article

Background: Lgals3/galectin-3 plays a pivotal role in many vascular diseases. However, the involvement of Lgals3/galectin-3 in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) remains unknown. Methods: In the laser-induced CNV model, a whole mount retina stained with Isolectin B4 and collagen type I revealed the vascular bed and CNV-associated subretinal fibrosis on day 7 after laser treatment. Results: We show that the expression levels of Lgals3/galectin-3 were significantly increased in the RPE/choroidal complex of CNV mice. An intravitreal injection of Lgals3-siRNA significantly suppressed the area of CNV and subretinal fibrosis, together with Mcp-1 decline. The mixture of Lgals3-siRNA and Ranibizumab showed more efficiency than each drug used separately. Hypoxia induced Lgals3/galectin-3 production in ARPE-19 cells, which was reduced by the silencing hypoxia-inducible factor -1α (Hif-1a). Conclusions: Our data indicated that Lgals3/galectin-3 is involved in the pathogenesis of CNV and subretinal fibrosis, and Lgals3/galectin-3 could be a potential therapeutic target for nAMD. Full article

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a pleiotropic lectin produced by most cell types, which regulates multiple cellular processes in various tissues. In bone, depending on its cellular localization, Gal-3 has a dual and opposite role. If, on the one hand, intracellular Gal-3 promotes bone formation, on the other, its circulating form affects bone remodeling, antagonizing osteoblast differentiation and increasing osteoclast activity. From an analysis of the secretome of cultured differentiating myoblasts, we interestingly found the presence of Gal-3. After that, we confirmed that Gal-3 was expressed and released in the extracellular environment from myoblast cells during their differentiation into myotubes, as well as after mechanical strain. An in vivo analysis revealed that Gal-3 was triggered by trained exercise and was specifically produced by fast muscle fibers. Speculating a role for this peptide in the muscle-to-bone cross talk, a direct co-culture in vitro system, simultaneously combining media that were obtained from differentiated myoblasts and osteoblast cells, confirmed that Gal-3 is a mediator of osteoblast differentiation. Molecular and proteomic analyses revealed that the secreted Gal-3 modulated the biochemical processes occurring in the early phases of bone formation, in particular impairing the activity of the STAT3 and PDK1/Akt signaling pathways and, at the same time, triggering that one of Notch. Circulating Gal-3 also affected the expression of the most common factors involved in osteogenetic processes, including BMP-2, -6, and -7. Intriguingly, Gal-3 was able to interfere with the ability of differentiating osteoblasts to interact with the components of the extracellular bone matrix, a crucial condition required for a proper osteoblast differentiation. All in all, our evidence lays the foundation for further studies to present this lectin as a novel myokine involved in muscle-to-bone crosstalk. Full article

Chronic wounds remain trapped in a pro-inflammatory state, with strategies targeted at inducing re-epithelialization and the proliferative phase of healing desirable. As a member of the lectin family, galectin-3 is implicated in the regulation of macrophage phenotype and epithelial migration. We investigated if local delivery of galectin-3 enhanced skin healing in a full-thickness excisional C57BL/6 mouse model. An electrospun gelatin scaffold loaded with galectin-3 was developed and compared to topical delivery of galectin-3. Electrospun gelatin/galectin-3 scaffolds had an average fiber diameter of 200 nm, with 83% scaffold porosity approximately and an average pore diameter of 1.15 μm. The developed scaffolds supported dermal fibroblast adhesion, matrix deposition, and proliferation in vitro. In vivo treatment of 6 mm full-thickness excisional wounds with gelatin/galectin-3 scaffolds did not influence wound closure, re-epithelialization, or macrophage phenotypes, but increased collagen synthesis. In comparison, topical delivery of galectin-3 [6.7 µg/mL] significantly increased arginase-I cell density at day 7 versus untreated and gelatin/galectin-3 scaffolds (p < 0.05). A preliminary assessment of increasing the concentration of topical galectin-3 demonstrated that at day 7, galectin-3 [12.5 µg/mL] significantly increased both epithelial migration and collagen content in a concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, local delivery of galectin 3 shows potential efficacy in modulating skin healing in a concentration-dependent manner. Full article

Background and Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by acute exacerbations. Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis of COPD. Exacerbations in COPD reduce the quality of life and are associated with rapid disease progression. Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside-binding lectin of approximately 30 kDa with pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic properties. This study aims to analyze the efficacy of serum galectin-3 in predicting exacerbations in COPD patients. Materials and Methods: Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of all patients were recorded and blood samples were collected. A total of 58 consecutive COPD patients, including 28 patients (19 male and 9 female) with stable COPD and 30 patients (23 male and 7 female) with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), were included in the study. Results: Serum galectin-3 levels were significantly higher in the AECOPD group compared to the stable COPD group. A logistic regression analysis revealed that increased galectin-3 levels and disease duration were independent predictors of COPD exacerbation (OR = 5.322, 95% CI: 1.178–24.052, p = 0.03; and OR = 1.297, 95% CI: 1.028–1.635, p = 0.028; respectively). Conclusions: The results of our study demonstrated that Galectin-3 was a strong and independent predictor of exacerbations in COPD patients. Full article