Galectin-9 in physiological and pathological conditions |
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Authors: | Mitsuomi Hirashima Yumiko Kashio Nozomu Nishi Akira Yamauchi Tada-Atsu Imaizumi Toshiro Kageshita Naoki Saita Takanori Nakamura |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Immunology & Immunopathology, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan 2. Department of Endocrinology, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan 3. Department of Surgery, Kagawa Medical University, Kagawa, Japan 4. Department of Vascular Biology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Medical School, Hirosaki, Japan 5. Department of Dermatology, Kumamoto University, School of Medicine, Kumamoto, Japan 6. Department of Internal Medicine, Kumamoto University, School of Medicine, Kumamoto
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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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