Galectins as immunoregulators during infectious processes: from microbial invasion to the resolution of the disease

RABINOVICH GABRIEL A; GRUPPI ADRIANA

Blackwell-Synergy.com

Lugar: London (UK); Año: 2005 p. 103 - 103

table id="HB_Mail_Container" height="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0" unselectable="on"> Recent evidence has implicated galectins, a family of evolutionarily conserved carbohydrate-binding proteins, as regulators of immune cell homeostasis and host-pathogen interactions. Galectins operate at different levels of innate and adaptive immune responses, by modulating cell survival and cell activation or by influencing the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance. Furthermore, galectins may contribute to host-pathogen recognition and may serve as receptors for specific interactions of pathogens with their insect vectors. Here we will explore the influence of galectins in immunological processes relevant to microbial infection and will summarize exciting recent work related to the specific interactions between galectins an