Hokama A, Mizoguchi E, Mizoguchi A. Roles of galectins in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol 2008; 14(33): 5133-5137 [PMID: 18777589 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.14.5133]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Akira Hokama, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics (First Department of Internal Medicine), Control and Prevention of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. hokama-a@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 7, 2008; 14(33): 5133-5137 Published online Sep 7, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.5133
Roles of galectins in inflammatory bowel disease
Akira Hokama, Emiko Mizoguchi, Atsushi Mizoguchi
Akira Hokama, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics (First Department of Internal Medicine), Control and Prevention of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
Emiko Mizoguchi, Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States; Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02114, United States
Atsushi Mizoguchi, Experimental Pathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02114, United States; Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02114, United States
Author contributions: Hokama A, Mizoguchi E, and Mizoguchi A contributed in writing and reviewing the paper.
Supported by National Institute of Health Grants, No. DK64289 and DK74454; IBD grants from the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Medical Foundation; National Institute of Health grant, DK64351; IBD grants from the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Medical Foundation
Correspondence to: Akira Hokama, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics (First Department of Internal Medicine), Control and Prevention of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. hokama-a@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-98-8951144 Fax: +81-98-8951414
Received: April 9, 2008 Revised: July 20, 2008 Accepted: July 27, 2008 Published online: September 7, 2008
Abstract
Protein/carbohydrate interactions through specific protein families termed lectin control essential biological processes. Galectins, a family of animal lectins defined by shared amino acid sequence with affinity for β-galactosides, appear to be functionally polyvalent in a wide range of biological activity. Recent studies have identified immunoregulatory roles of galectins in intestinal inflammatory disorders. Galectin-1 and galectin -2 contribute to the suppression of intestinal inflammation by the induction of apoptosis of activated T cells, whereas galectin-4 is involved in the exacerbation of this inflammation by specifically stimulating intestinal CD4+ T cells to produce IL-6. We review how different members of the galectins provide inhibitory or stimulatory signals to control intestinal immune response under intestinal inflammation.
