Targeting galectins in T cell-based immunotherapy within tumor microenvironment

Over the past few years, tumor immunotherapy has emerged as an innovative tumor treatment and owned incomparable advantages over other tumor therapy. With unique complexity and uncertainty, immunotherapy still need helper to apply in the clinic. Galectins, modulated in tumor microenvironment, can regulate the disorders of innate and adaptive immune system resisting tumor growth. Considering the role of galectins in tumor immunosuppression, combination therapy of targeted anti-galectins and immunotherapy may be a promising tumor treatment. This brief review summarizes the expression and immune functions of different galectins in tumor microenvironment and discusses the potential value of anti-galectins in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in tumor immunotherapy.

Automated summary

Tumor immunotherapy has emerged as an innovative and advantageous treatment method, but still requires assistance for clinical application due to its complexity. Galectins modulated in the tumor microenvironment can regulate immune system disorders to resist tumor growth, suggesting that combination therapy of targeted anti-galectins with immunotherapy may be promising for tumor treatment. This review discusses the expression and immune functions of different galectins in tumor microenvironment, highlighting the potential value of anti-galectins in combination with checkpoint inhibitors for tumor immunotherapy.