Galectin-3: mediator of microglia responses in injured brain

Reza Rahimian; Louis-Charles Béland; Jasna Kriz

doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2017.11.004

Galectin-3: mediator of microglia responses in injured brain

Drug Discov Today. 2018 Feb;23(2):375-381. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2017.11.004. Epub 2017 Nov 10.

Authors

Reza Rahimian¹, Louis-Charles Béland¹, Jasna Kriz²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, CERVO Brain Research Center, Laval University, Quebec, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada.
² Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, CERVO Brain Research Center, Laval University, Quebec, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Québec, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: jasna.kriz@fmed.ulaval.ca.

PMID: 29133191
DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2017.11.004

Abstract

Galectin-3 is a pleiotropic protein involved in cell activation, proliferation and migration and plays a pivotal part as an inflammatory mediator in neurodegeneration. Galectin-3 is associated with microglial activation and proliferation after ischemia. Given its putative role as a dynamic fine-tuner of microglia, activation of Galectin-3 provides molecular cues in design of new immunomodulatory strategies for stroke management. This review summarizes recent evidence on the role of Galectin-3 as a mediator of immune responses in damaged brain and mechanisms employed by Galectin-3 to affect microglial function.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain / metabolism*
Brain Diseases / metabolism*
Galectin 3 / metabolism*
Humans
Microglia / metabolism*

Substances

Galectin 3