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Galectin-3 regulation of wound healing and fibrotic processes: insights for chronic skin wound therapeutics

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Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling Aims and scope

Abstract

A member of the lectin family, galectin-3 is a 250 amino-acid protein that contains a C-terminus carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) that recognizes β-galactosides. Considered to have certain common properties associated with matricellular proteins, galectin-3 is expressed in the dermis and epidermis in healthy skin and is upregulated in skin healing, peaking at day 1 post wounding in mice. Galectin-3 has been implicated in several processes central to the wound healing response, specifically in the regulation of inflammation, macrophage polarization, angiogenesis, fibroblast to myofibroblast transition and re-epithelialization. However, it appears that many of the effects of Galectin-3 are highly tissue specific and context dependent. Genetic deletion of galectin-3 shows different effects in skin compared to lung, heart, and kidney remodeling. In this review, we will compare galectin-3 functions in these tissues. Furthermore, we will discuss, based on its identified regulation of cell processes, whether in an exogenous form, galectin-3 could represent a novel therapeutic for impaired skin healing.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating grant RN247506) to D. W. Hamilton.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada

    Karrington McLeod & Douglas W. Hamilton

  2. Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada

    John T. Walker & Douglas W. Hamilton

  3. Division of Oral Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, Dental Sciences Building, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada

    Douglas W. Hamilton

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  1. Karrington McLeod
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  2. John T. Walker
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  3. Douglas W. Hamilton
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Correspondence to Douglas W. Hamilton.

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McLeod, K., Walker, J.T. & Hamilton, D.W. Galectin-3 regulation of wound healing and fibrotic processes: insights for chronic skin wound therapeutics. J. Cell Commun. Signal. 12, 281–287 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12079-018-0453-7

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