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Galectin-9 in physiological and pathological conditions

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Abstract

We first cloned galectin-9 (Gal-9)/ecalectin as a T cell-derived eosinophil chemoattractant. Gal-9 plays a role in not only accumulation but also activation of eosinophils in experimental allergic models and human allergic patients, because Gal-9 induces eosinophil chemoattraction in vitro and in vivo and activates eosinophils in many aspects. Gal-9 requires divalent galactoside-binding activity but not the linker peptide of Gal-9 to exhibit its biological functions, and an unidentified matrix metalloproteinase is involved in the release of Gal-9. Our recent studies also showed that Gal-9 has other functions, such as cell differentiation, aggregation, adhesion, and death. Now, we and other groups are on the way of investigating the regulation and function of Gal-9 in a variety of physiological and pathological conditions. In this article, we will show the possible role of Gal-9 in physiological and pathological conditions by using our recent findings. Published in 2004.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology & Immunopathology, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan

    Mitsuomi Hirashima & Yumiko Kashio

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan

    Nozomu Nishi & Takanori Nakamura

  3. Department of Surgery, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan

    Akira Yamauchi

  4. Department of Vascular Biology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Medical School, Hirosaki, Japan

    Tada-Atsu Imaizumi

  5. Department of Dermatology, Kumamoto University, School of Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan

    Toshiro Kageshita

  6. Department of Internal Medicine, Kumamoto University, School of Medicine, Kumamoto

    Naoki Saita

Authors
  1. Mitsuomi Hirashima
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  2. Yumiko Kashio
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  3. Nozomu Nishi
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  4. Akira Yamauchi
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  5. Tada-Atsu Imaizumi
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  6. Toshiro Kageshita
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  8. Takanori Nakamura
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Correspondence to Mitsuomi Hirashima.

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Hirashima, M., Kashio, Y., Nishi, N. et al. Galectin-9 in physiological and pathological conditions. Glycoconj J 19, 593–600 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:GLYC.0000014090.63206.2f

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:GLYC.0000014090.63206.2f

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