title: Nuclear transport of galectin-3 and its therapeutic implications.
abstract: Galectin-3, a member of β-galactoside-binding gene family is a multi-functional protein, which regulates pleiotropic biological functions such as cell growth, cell adhesion, cell-cell interactions, apoptosis, angiogenesis and mRNA processing. Its unique structure enables it to interact with a plethora of ligands in a carbohydrate dependent or independent manner. Galectin-3 is mainly a cytosolic protein, but can easily traverse the intracellular and plasma membranes to translocate into the nucleus, mitochondria or get externalized. Depending on the cell type, specific experimental conditions in vitro, cancer type and stage, galectin-3 has been reported to be exclusively cytoplasmic, predominantly nuclear or distributed between the two compartments. In this review we have summarized the dynamics of galectin-3 shuttling between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, the nuclear transport mechanisms of galectin-3, how its specific interactions with the members of β-catenin signaling pathways affect tumor progression, and its implications as a therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Nanzando Pharmacies Co., Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Funasaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, United States.
authors.forename: Avraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raz
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, United States; John D. Dingell V.A. Medical Center, Detroit, MI 48201, United States. Electronic address: makkerp@med.wayne.edu.
authors.forename: Pratima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nangia-Makker
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D028861:Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3; D028861:Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins
keywords: Beta catenin; Galectin-3; Nuclear cytoplasmic transport