Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Volume 24, Issue 7, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076174
Keywords
galectin-9; gastroenterological cancer; apoptosis; immunotherapy
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Immunochemotherapy is gaining popularity, with new developments expected in cancer immunity mechanisms. Apoptosis maintains tissue homeostasis, and disruption of this process can contribute to carcinogenesis. Galectins, a type of lectin, regulate cell growth and signal transduction by interacting with sugar chains on cell surfaces. Galectin-9 induces apoptosis of T lymphocytes and cancer cells, but its detailed pharmacokinetics, cell receptors, and intracellular pathways are still not fully understood. In this article, the effects of galectin-9 on gastrointestinal cancers and its mechanisms are reviewed.
Immunochemotherapy has become popular in recent years. The detailed mechanisms of cancer immunity are being elucidated, and new developments are expected in the future. Apoptosis allows tissues to maintain their form, quantity, and function by eliminating excess or abnormal cells. When apoptosis is inhibited, the balance between cell division and death is disrupted and tissue homeostasis is impaired. This leads to dysfunction and the accumulation of genetically abnormal cells, which can contribute to carcinogenesis. Lectins are neither enzymes nor antibodies but proteins that bind sugar chains. Among soluble endogenous lectins, galectins interact with cell surface sugar chains outside the cell to regulate signal transduction and cell growth. On the other hand, intracellular lectins are present at the plasma membrane and regulate signal transduction by regulating receptor-ligand interactions. Galectin-9 expressed on the surface of thymocytes induces apoptosis of T lymphocytes and plays an essential role in immune self-tolerance by negative selection in the thymus. Furthermore, the administration of extracellular galectin-9 induces apoptosis of human cancer and immunodeficient cells. However, the detailed pharmacokinetics of galectin-9 in vivo have not been elucidated. In addition, the cell surface receptors involved in galectin-9-induced apoptosis of cancer cells have not been identified, and the intracellular pathways involved in apoptosis have not been fully investigated. We have previously reported that galectin-9 induces apoptosis in various gastrointestinal cancers and suppresses tumor growth. However, the mechanism of galectin-9 and apoptosis induction in gastrointestinal cancers and the detailed mechanisms involved in tumor growth inhibition remain unknown. In this article, we review the effects of galectin-9 on gastrointestinal cancers and its mechanisms.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available