[Galectins: a novel family of proteins involved in the regulation of the immune response. Implications in immunopathological processes].
Galectins have emerged as a new family of closely related carbohydrate-binding proteins, which exert their functions by virtue of their ability to decipher glycocodes on complex glycoconjugates. They have been implicated in different immunological processes, such as lymphocyte adhesion, cytokine production, cell growth regulation, apoptosis and central and peripheral immune tolerance. In the present article we analyze the implications of this protein family in different immune pathologies with up- or down-regulated immune responses, such as autoimmune disorders, acute and chronic inflammation, allergic diseases, infection and metastases. The use of recombinant galectins or their antagonists will have future implications in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of these diseases, widening the horizons of molecular immunopathology.
Laboratorio de Inmunogenética, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Córdoba 2351, 1120 Buenos Aires, Argentina. gabyrabi@ciudad.com.ar
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GA
Rabinovich
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Rubinstein
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D037483:Galectin 1; D037502:Galectin 3; D037161:Galectins; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D037483:Galectin 1; D037502:Galectin 3; D037161:Galectins; D006388:Hemagglutinins