Journal
GLYCOBIOLOGY
Volume 24, Issue 10, Pages 907-914Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwu054
Keywords
angiogenesis; CD166; endothelium; galectin-8
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Funding
- Agencia de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica [PICT-2007-1631, PICT-2012-0071]
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas [PIP-2012-493]
- Universidad de Buenos Aires
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Galectin-8 (gal-8) is a tandem-repeat-type galectin, containing two carbohydrate recognition domains connected by a linker peptide. gal-8 is expressed both in the cytoplasm and nucleus in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) from normal and tumor-associated blood vessels, and in lymphatic endothelial cells. Herein, we describe a novel role for gal-8 in the regulation of vascular and lymphatic angiogenesis and provide evidence of its critical implications in tumor biology. Functional assays revealed central roles for gal-8 in the control of capillary-tube formation, EC migration and in vivo angiogenesis. So far, two endothelial ligands have been described for gal-8, namely podoplanin in lymphatic vessels and CD166 (ALCAM, activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule) in vascular ECs. Other related gal-8 functions are also summarized here, including cell adhesion and migration, which collectively demonstrate the multi-functionality of this complex lectin. Thus, gal-8 is an important component of the angiogenesis network, and an essential molecule in the extracellular matrix by providing molecular anchoring to this surrounding matrix. The implications of gal-8 in tumor angiogenesis remain to be further explored, but it is exciting to speculate that modulating gal-8-glycan interactions could be used to block lymphatic-vascular connections vital for metastasis.
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