Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dorota Grazyna Boron, Aleksy Swietlicki, Michal Potograbski, Grazyna Kurzawinska, Przemyslaw Wirstlein, Daniel Boron, Krzysztof Drews, Agnieszka Seremak-Mrozikiewicz
Summary: This study investigated the changes in maternal serum levels of galectin-1 and galectin-9 in patients with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (pPROM) compared to uncomplicated pregnancies. The results showed that low levels of galectin-1 were associated with the incidence of pPROM, while galectin-9 levels were not significantly correlated with pPROM. Further clinical studies on larger groups are needed to investigate the potential of galectin-1 and galectin-9 levels as markers for pPROM.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Maheedhara R. Guda, Andrew J. Tsung, Swapna Asuthkar, Kiran K. Velpula
Summary: Galectin 1 (Gal-1) plays a crucial role in cancer, and its expression is associated with tumor aggressiveness and progression. Gal-1 promotes the growth of glioma stem cells (GSC) through the Warburg effect. Depletion of Gal-1 leads to reduced lactate levels and increased expression of enzymes from the TCA cycle, indicating a reversal of the Warburg phenotype. Gal-1 regulates the expression of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA-IX) to exert its metabolic role.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2022)
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xunsheng Li, Wanwan Shi, Guanning Wei, Jinpeng Lv, Datao Wang, Baorui Xing, Jue Zhou, Jianwei Zhao, Hongmei Sun
Summary: Deer GAL-1 is widely expressed in deer antlers and has strong angiogenic activity. Knocking out the GAL-1 gene impairs the ability of antler stem cells to induce angiogenesis and differentiate into chondrocytes, which is crucial for the formation of antler vascularized cartilage. Antlers provide a unique model to explore how angiogenesis can be regulated without becoming cancerous in the presence of high levels of GAL-1 expression.
CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Claudia Matteucci, Ridvan Nepravishta, Ayele Argaw-Denboba, Walter Mandaliti, Alessandro Giovinazzo, Vita Petrone, Emanuela Balestrieri, Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona, Francesca Pica, Maurizio Paci, Enrico Garaci
Summary: The mechanisms behind the pleiotropic effect of Thymosin alpha 1 (T alpha 1) and its interaction with Galectin-1 (Gal-1) were investigated. T alpha 1 was found to inhibit the activity of Gal-1, as well as its effects on endothelial cell tubular structures and cancer cell migration. The study revealed a novel mechanism of action for T alpha 1 and identified a specific interaction between T alpha 1 and Gal-1, contributing to our understanding of its pleiotropic activity.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel Roldan-Montero, Juan M. Perez-Saez, Isabel Cerro-Pardo, Jorge Oller, Diego Martinez-Lopez, Estefania Nunez, Sebastian M. Maller, Carmen Gutierrez-Munoz, Nerea Mendez-Barbero, Joan C. Escola-Gil, Jean-Baptiste Michel, Maria Mittelbrunn, Jesus Vazquez, Luis M. Blanco-Colio, Gabriel A. Rabinovich, Jose L. Martin-Ventura
Summary: Galectin-1 (Gal-1) plays a significant role as a therapeutic target for atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Lack of Gal-1 leads to severe atherosclerosis and VSMC phenotypic switch, while treatment with recombinant Gal-1 prevents these effects and alleviates the conditions of atherosclerosis and AAA.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brian Hur, Veronica Wong, Eun D. Lee
Summary: The fundamental basis of pregnancy and cancer is to determine the fate of the survival or the death of humanity. However, the development of fetuses and tumors share many similarities and differences, making them two sides of the same coin. This review presents an overview of the similarities and differences between pregnancy and cancer. In addition, we will also discuss the critical roles that Endoplasmic Reticulum Aminopeptidase (ERAP) 1 and 2 may play in the immune system, cell migration, and angiogenesis, all of which are essential for fetal and tumor development. Even though the comprehensive understanding of ERAP2 lags that of ERAP1 due to the lack of an animal model, recent studies have shown that both enzymes are associated with an increased risk of several diseases, including pregnancy disorder pre-eclampsia (PE), recurrent miscarriages, and cancer. The exact mechanisms in both pregnancy and cancer need to be elucidated. Therefore, a deeper understanding of ERAP's role in diseases can make it a potential therapeutic target for pregnancy complications and cancer and offer greater insight into its impact on the immune system.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Liam D. Kirkpatrick, Jeffrey W. Shupp, Robert D. Smith, Abdulnaser Alkhalil, Lauren T. Moffatt, Bonnie C. Carney
Summary: Hypertrophic scars (HTSs) resulting from burn wounds often show upregulation of Galectin-1 (Gal-1) at both mRNA and protein levels, suggesting a potential role in promoting fibroblast over-proliferation, collagen secretion, and dermal thickening in scar development. Further study on the role of galectins may lead to the development of pharmacotherapy for HTS treatment.
WOUND REPAIR AND REGENERATION
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Bogut, Bojan Stojanovic, Marina Jovanovic, Milica Dimitrijevic Stojanovic, Nevena Gajovic, Bojana S. Stojanovic, Goran Balovic, Milan Jovanovic, Aleksandar Lazovic, Milos Mirovic, Milena Jurisevic, Ivan Jovanovic, Violeta Mladenovic
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the multifaceted role of Galectin-1 in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), including its contributions to tumor stroma remodeling, angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, and potential implications for therapeutic interventions. The challenges associated with targeting Galectin-1 are discussed, and the promising prospects of Gal-1 inhibition, including the utilization of nanotechnology and theranostics, are highlighted.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiajun Wei, Daniel K. Li, Xinyu Hu, Chao Cheng, Yi Zhang
Summary: Galectin-1 is found to interact with numerous mRNAs, showing a preference for binding near stop codons and specific binding motifs. Its mRNA-binding activity may regulate angiogenesis through genes like VEGFA, EGR1, and LAMA5. Inhibiting galectin-1 can impact capillary tube formation and alter the expression levels of angiogenesis-related mRNAs.
Letter
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Juan M. Perez Saez, Pablo F. Hockl, Alejando J. Cagnoni, Santiago P. Mendez Huergo, Pablo A. Garcia, Sabrina G. Gatto, Juan P. Cerliani, Diego O. Croci, Gabriel A. Rabinovich
Summary: Galectins, particularly Gal-1, control tumor progression by modulating angiogenesis and immunosuppression, and a newly developed neutralizing anti-human Gal-1 monoclonal antibody (Gal-1-mAb3) shows potential therapeutic benefits by targeting a unique epitope in Gal-1 protein and exerting both angioregulatory and immunomodulatory activities.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Annemiek Dickhout, Bibian M. E. Tullemans, Johan W. M. Heemskerk, Victor L. J. L. Thijssen, Marijke J. E. Kuijpers, Rory R. Koenen
Summary: This study showed that gal-1 and CXCL4 colocalize on the platelet surface and co-activation of platelets by both can enhance aggregation. Their individual effects on platelets exhibit distinct and complementary activation profiles, with additive rather than synergistic effects.
Article
Oncology
Yujia Zheng, Hao Zhang, Chu Xiao, Ziqin Deng, Tao Fan, Bo Zheng, Chunxiang Li, Jie He
Summary: The expression of KLF12 in tumors is correlated with resistance to immunotherapy. KLF12 suppresses the infiltration and function of CD8(+) T cells by inhibiting the expression of Gal-1. Targeting the KLF12/Gal-1 pathway may provide a new therapeutic target for patients with immunotherapy resistance.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Laetitia Gheysen, Laura Soumoy, Anne Trelcat, Laurine Verset, Fabrice Journe, Sven Saussez
Summary: The study demonstrated that OTX008 significantly inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion in thyroid cancer cell lines expressing high levels of Gal-1, showing promising anti-cancer effects. Further investigation of the molecular mechanisms and future clinical trials in patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer are warranted.
Article
Virology
Tiago Ferreira, Amit Kulkarni, Clemens Bretscher, Petr Nazarov, Jubayer A. Hossain, Lars A. R. Ystaas, Hrvoje Miletic, Ralph Roeth, Beate Niesler, Antonio Marchini
Summary: Studies have shown that galectin-1 plays a crucial role in the H-1PV life cycle and is overexpressed in various tumors including glioblastoma and pancreatic carcinoma.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiajun Wei, Yunfei Wu, Yue Sun, Dong Chen
Summary: The study silenced LGALS1 in HUVECs and performed RNA-seq to investigate its potential target genes. The results showed that silencing LGALS1 can affect the transcription and splicing of multiple genes related to angiogenesis, revealing the important role of LGALS1 and the underlying mechanisms in angiogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN BIOSCIENCE-LANDMARK
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Patricia Fraungruber, Till Kaltofen, Sabine Heublein, Christina Kuhn, Doris Mayr, Alexander Burges, Sven Mahner, Philipp Rathert, Udo Jeschke, Fabian Trillsch
Summary: The study found a correlation between Dkk2 and GPER expression in epithelial ovarian cancer, with combined high expression associated with improved overall survival. These findings suggest a potential prognostic impact and treatment strategies targeting estrogen and Wnt signaling interactions in ovarian cancer.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Nan Han, Sabine Heublein, Udo Jeschke, Christina Kuhn, Anna Hester, Bastian Czogalla, Sven Mahner, Miriam Rottmann, Doris Mayr, Elisa Schmoeckel, Fabian Trillsch
Summary: The study found a positive correlation between GPER and H3K4me3 expression in ovarian cancer patients, with patients overexpressing both having improved overall survival. Activation of GPER led to increased H3K4me3 and p-ERK1/2 levels, as well as decreased cell proliferation and migration, while antagonizing GPER activity had opposite effects. The interaction between GPER and H3K4me3 is of prognostic significance and GPER agonists like G1 have potential as a therapeutic approach for ovarian cancer.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nadine Ansorge, Christian Dannecker, Udo Jeschke, Elisa Schmoeckel, Doris Mayr, Helene H. Heidegger, Aurelia Vattai, Maximiliane Burgmann, Bastian Czogalla, Sven Mahner, Sophie Fuerst
Summary: The study found that the expression of COX-2 and PPAR gamma in vulvar cancer tissues is associated with survival rate, with cytoplasmic expression leading to reduced survival and nuclear expression associated with better survival. The combined expression of both COX-2 and PPAR gamma in the cytoplasm is considered an independent negative prognostic factor for vulvar cancer patients.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Catalina Atorrasagasti, Flavia Piccioni, Sophia Borowski, Irene Tirado-Gonzalez, Nancy Freitag, Maria Jose Cantero, Juan Bayo, Guillermo Mazzolini, Laura D. Alaniz, Sandra M. Blois, Mariana G. Garcia
Summary: Stress may contribute to liver fibrosis, and this study identified nerve growth factor as a crucial regulator in the stress-induced fibrogenesis signaling pathway. Blocking NGF can reduce liver fibrosis, while NGF treatment can accelerate the fibrotic process.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Nancy Freitag, Yiran Xie, Lisa-Marie Adam, Sophia Borowski, Sandra M. Blois, Gabriela Barrientos
Summary: The study revealed the important role of alternative splicing regulator Rbfox2 in modulating trophoblast function during placental development, with implications for the pathogenesis of conditions like preeclampsia in pregnancy.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor L. Thijssen
Summary: Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel growth, is tightly regulated and involves endothelial cells adopting different phenotypes to proliferate, migrate, and form tube-like structures. The galectin protein family is crucial for proper angiogenesis execution and has been linked to endothelial cell function and various steps of the angiogenesis cascade.
Article
Oncology
Julia Femel, Luuk van Hooren, Melanie Herre, Jessica Cedervall, Falk Saupe, Elisabeth J. M. Huijbers, Danielle R. J. Verboogen, Matthias Reichel, Victor L. Thijssen, Arjan W. Griffioen, Lars Hellman, Anna Dimberg, Anna-Karin Olsson
Summary: Galectin-1 (Gal1) is a glycan-binding protein that promotes tumor progression through various mechanisms. Vaccination against Gal1 can generate high anti-Gal1 antibody levels and significantly impairs the growth of Gal1-expressing melanomas in mice. This is associated with improved tumor vasculature perfusion and increased infiltration of macrophages and cytotoxic T cells. Gal1 vaccination is a promising approach to enhance immunotherapeutic strategies for cancer therapy.
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY IMMUNOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Lucia Sanjurjo, Iris A. Schulkens, Pauline Touarin, Roy Heusschen, Ed Aanhane, Kitty C. M. Castricum, Tanja D. De Gruijl, Ulf J. Nilsson, Hakon Leffler, Arjan W. Griffioen, Latifa Elantak, Rory R. Koenen, Victor L. J. L. Thijssen
Summary: The study reveals that specific chemokine-galectin interactions can modulate the immunoregulatory function of galectins, affecting their glycan-binding activity and specificity. In particular, binding of CXCL4 changes the carbohydrate binding site of galectin-1, increasing its apoptotic activity on CD8(+) T cells.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Correction
Oncology
Julia Femel, Luuk van Hooren, Melanie Herre, Jessica Cedervall, Falk Saupe, Elisabeth J. M. Huijbers, Danielle R. J. Verboogen, Matthias Reichel, Victor L. Thijssen, Arjan W. Griffioen, Lars Hellman, Anna Dimberg, Anna-Karin Olsson
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY IMMUNOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
I. H. Bartelink, E. A. van de Stadt, A. F. Leeuwerik, V. L. J. L. Thijssen, J. R. Hupsel, J. F. van den Nieuwendijk, I Bahce, M. Yaqub, N. H. Hendrikse
Summary: The developed physiological pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models accurately predicted the image quality and contrast of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in non-small cell lung cancer. These models provide the potential for predicting the image quality of new tracers in the future.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lionel Mendes Dias, Mark J. de Keijzer, Daniel Ernst, Farangis Sharifi, Daniel J. de Klerk, Tony G. Kleijn, Emilie Desclos, Jakub A. Kochan, Lianne R. de Haan, Leonardo P. Franchi, Albert C. van Wijk, Enzo M. Scutigliani, Marcel H. Fens, Arjan D. Barendrecht, Jose E. B. Cavaco, Xuan Huang, Ying Xu, Weiwei Pan, Marjo J. den Broeder, Jan Bogerd, Rudiger W. Schulz, Kitty C. Castricum, Victor L. Thijssen, Shuqun Cheng, Baoyue Ding, Przemek M. Krawczyk, Michal Heger
Summary: The study developed a comprehensive tumor targeting and photosensitizer delivery platform. It was found that photodynamically active PSs effectively photosensitized cancer cells and non-cancerous cells without notable systemic toxicity. ZnPC and AlPC delivered by ITLs demonstrated strong tumor-killing capacity in human breast cancer xenografts.
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucia Sanjurjo, Esmee C. Broekhuizen, Rory R. Koenen, Victor L. J. L. Thijssen
Summary: Galectins, a family of glycan-binding proteins, play a role in shaping the immune microenvironment by directly affecting immune cell activity and survival, as well as indirectly affecting immune response through binding to cytokines. Galectin-cytokine heterodimers, known as galectokines, add complexity to immune homeostasis regulation. This article summarizes current knowledge on galectokine formation and function, describes mechanisms by which galectokines shape the immune microenvironment, and discusses outstanding questions and challenges for future research on the role of galectokines in immunomodulation.
Review
Oncology
Tesfay M. Godefa, Sarah Derks, Victor L. J. L. Thijssen
Summary: Esophageal cancer is a disease with poor overall survival. Galectins, a family of glycan-binding proteins, have been linked to tumor angiogenesis and immunosuppression and identified as diagnostic and prognostic markers in several cancer types. However, their role in esophageal cancer is still poorly understood. This literature review summarizes the expression and potential functions of galectins in esophageal cancer and highlights the gaps in current knowledge. Further research is needed to better understand the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive value of galectins in esophageal cancer and their functional role in tumor progression.
Article
Oncology
Charlotte Stroes, Sandor Schokker, Mohammed Khurshed, Stephanie O. van der Woude, Ron A. A. Mathot, Marije Slingerland, Judith de Vos-Geelen, Massimo Zucchetti, Cristina Matteo, Erik van Dijk, Bauke Ylstra, Victor Thijssen, Sarah Derks, Tesfay Godefa, Willemieke Dijksterhuis, Gerben E. Breimer, Otto M. van Delden, Rob H. A. Verhoeven, Sybren L. Meijer, Maarten F. Bijlsma, Hanneke W. M. van Laarhoven
Summary: The study evaluated the tolerability and efficacy of regorafenib and paclitaxel combination therapy in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer refractory to first-line treatment. The results showed promising potential of this combination therapy in improving patient survival rates, while identifying potential negative predictive biomarkers for treatment response.
THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN MEDICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)