Immunoregulatory effects of administration of galectins (therapeutic and preventive) in experimental models of chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, and cancer
| Experimental models | Strategies used | Clinical outcome | Immunological outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; TNF, tumour necrosis factor. | |||
| Exogenous galectins | |||
| Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis | Electrolectin administration | Clinical recovery | No changes in circulating autoantibodies or modifications at the muscular level |
| Experimental autoimmune encephalo-myelitis (multiple sclerosis) | Prophylactic administration of galectin-1 | Prevention of clinical and histopathological manifestations | Blockade of sensitisation of pathogenic T cells |
| Collagen induced arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis) | Galectin-1 gene therapy and protein administration | Suppression of clinical and histopathological manifestations | Increased IL-5 and decreased IFNγ production Increased T cell susceptibility to activation induced cell death |
| Concanavalin A induced hepatitis (autoimmune hepatitis) | Prophylactic administration of galectin-1 | Prevention of liver injury and T helper cell liver infiltration | Suppressed TNFα and IFNγ production Increased apoptosis of activated T cells |
| Inflammatory bowel disease (experimental colitis) | Prophylactic and therapeutic administration of galectin-1 | Suppression of clinical and histopathological manifestations | Reduced ability of mucosal T cells to produce IFNγ Reduced proliferation of antigen specific T cells Increased number of apoptotic T cells within mucosal tissue |
| Nephrotoxic nephritis | Galectin-1, galectin-3, and galectin-9 administration | Clinical recovery | Galectin-9 induces apoptosis of activated CD8+ cells Galectin-1 and galectin-3 block the accumulation of macrophages in the renal glomeruli |
| Graft v host disease | Galectin-1 administration | Increased host survival following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation | Reduced production of IFNγ and IL-2 Reduced alloreactivity |
| Endogenous galectins | |||
| B16 melanoma | Blockade of galectin-1 expression in the tumour microenvironment (galectin-1 knockdown clones) | Increased T cell mediated tumour rejection | Increased tumour specific IFNγ and IL-2 production Decreased number of infiltrating apoptotic T cells |