title: Galectin-9 ameliorates acute GVH disease through the induction of T-cell apoptosis.
abstract: Galectins comprise a family of animal lectins that differ in their affinity for β-galactosides. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a tandem-repeat-type galectin that was recently shown to function as a ligand for T-cell immunoglobin domain and mucin domain-3 (Tim-3) expressed on terminally differentiated CD4(+) Th1 cells. Gal-9 modulates immune reactions, including the induction of apoptosis in Th1 cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of Gal-9 in murine models of acute GVH disease (aGVHD). First, we demonstrated that recombinant human Gal-9 inhibit MLR in a dose-dependent manner, involving both Ca(2+) influx and apoptosis in T cells. Next, we revealed that recombinant human Gal-9 significantly inhibit the progression of aGVHD in murine BM transplantation models. In conclusion, Gal-9 ameliorates aGVHD, possibly by inducing T-cell apoptosis, suggesting that gal-9 may be an attractive candidate for the treatment of aGVHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kawata
authors.forename: Eishi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ashihara
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Hisayuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: Ruriko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Asumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Hideyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Mitsuomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirashima
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: Taira
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maekawa
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D037161:Galectins; C105032:LGALS9 protein, human; D011994:Recombinant Proteins