Recalibrating immunity in cancer and autoimmune inflammation by lectin-driven regulatory circuits

Abstract

Endogenous lectins play key roles in cell homeostasis by decoding the informationencrypted in glycans present on the cell surface or extracellular matrix. Galectins, a familyof soluble lectins, have emerged as central regulators of innate and adaptive immuneresponses. In this article we review seminal work demonstrating the immunoregulatoryroles of Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a proto-type member of the galectin family, and highlightcentral mechanisms that control its functions in cancer and autoimmune inflammation.Understanding the cellular pathways that control Gal-1 expression and function in tumorand inflammatory microenvironments will set the bases for the design of rational therapiesbased on positive or negative modulation of this endogenous lectin in cancer andautoimmune diseases.