Galectin-9 ameliorates herpes simplex virus-induced inflammation through apoptosis.
Galectin-9 (Gal-9) has been identified as a Tim-3 ligand (L). The Tim-3-Tim-3L interaction serves as a specific down-regulator of the Th1 immune response. It has been reported that Tim-3 expression is higher in patients with inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis compared to controls. In a herpes simplex virus-induced Behcet's disease (BD) mouse model, Tim-3 was expressed in a similarly high level. The expression of Gal-9 in macrophages from BD-like mice was lower than in asymptomatic BD normal mice; therefore, we injected 100 μg of Gal-9 into BD-like mice five times at 3 day intervals and subsequently observed changes in symptoms over 15 days. Gal-9 improved the symptoms of inflammation, decreased the severity score, and increased regulatory T cell expression in treated mice. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were lower in the Gal-9-treated group compared to the control group. Therefore, in the present study, Tim-3-Tim-3L interaction was found to influence inflammatory symptoms in BD-like mice.
Lab of Cell Biology, Ajou University, Republic of Korea.
Ju A
JA
Shim
Sun
S
Park
Eun-So
ES
Lee
Toshiro
T
Niki
Mitsuomi
M
Hirashima
Seonghyang
S
Sohn
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D037161:Galectins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015870:Gene Expression; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D037161:Galectins; C442241:Havcr2 protein, mouse; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D011991:Receptors, Virus; C508186:galectin 9, mouse