title: Immunomodulatory effects of galectin-1 on an IgE-mediated allergic conjunctivitis model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Galectin (Gal)-1, a lectin found at sites of immune privilege with critical role in the inflammation, has been poorly investigated in the ocular inflammatory diseases. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Gal-1 in ocular allergy using a model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AC.
  
  
  METHODS
  OVA-immunized BALB/c male mice were challenged with eye drops containing OVA on days 14 through 16 with a subset of animals pretreated intraperitoneally with recombinant Gal-1 (rGal-1) or dexamethasone (Dex).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recombinant Gal-1 and Dex administration on days 14 through 16 was effective in reducing the clinical signs of allergic conjunctivitis (AC), plasma anti-OVA IgE levels, Th2 (IL-4 and IL-13), and eotaxin/RANTES levels in the lymph nodes. Four hours after the last OVA challenge, rGal-1 markedly increased Gal-1 endogenous levels in the conjunctiva, and provoked eosinophilia, which persisted at 24 hours. Recombinant Gal-1 had no effect on eosinophil activation, as evidenced by the similar pattern of peroxidase eosinophil expression between cells of rGal-1-treated and untreated AC groups. Conjunctival migrated eosinophils and neutrophils exhibited high levels of Gal-1 and β2-integrin, with points of colocalization, in the rGal-1-treated groups. These different effects observed for rGal-1 were correlated with elevated levels of activated ERK and p38 at 4 hours, and diminished levels of activated JNK and p38 at 24 hours in the eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gal-1 has an important role in ocular allergic inflammation and represents a potential target for the development of new therapeutic strategies in eye diseases.
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Laboratório de Imunomorfologia, Departamento de Biologia, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudia Bosnic
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.affiliation: UNIFESP - Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Laboratório de Histologia, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lisandra
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: UNIFESP - Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Laboratório de Histologia, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Dantas
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Gimenes
authors.affiliation: UNIFESP - Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Laboratório de Histologia, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Teresa Raquel de Moraes
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Laboratório de Imunomorfologia, Departamento de Biologia, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sonia Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Oliani
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Laboratório de Imunomorfologia, Departamento de Biologia, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil UNIFESP - Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Laboratório de Histologia, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane Damas
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D018925:Chemokines; D037483:Galectin 1; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Th2 cytokines; eosinophil; mitogen-activated protein kinases; ocular allergy; ultrastructural immunogold labelling; β2-integrin