Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a β-galactoside-binding lectin, plays a profound role in modulating adaptive immune responses by altering the phenotype and fate of T cells. Experimental data showing recombinant Gal-1 (rGal-1) efficacy on T cell viability and cytokine production, nevertheless, is controversial due to the necessity of using stabilizing chemicals to help retain Gal-1 structure and function. T...

Studies have been carried out on the glycosphingolipids of human KB cells grown in monolayer and suspension culture, and by synchronization of the latter with a double thymidine (2mM) block. Glycosphingolipids were identified tentatively by thin layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and combined gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The predominant gangliosides in the thes...

We investigated macronutrient intake after intraventricular injection of galanin (GAL, 3 nmol/5 microl/rat) and/or serotonin (5-HT, 50 nmol/5 microl/rat) in self-selecting fasted rats with preferences for either carbohydrates or fats. GAL injection significantly increased carbohydrate and total intake in all rats irrespective of macronutrient preference, whereas 5-HT alone did not affect macron...

BACKGROUND Bovine pericardium is one of the most widely used materials in bioprosthetic heart valves. Immunologic responses have been implicated as potential causes of limited durability of xenogenic valves. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of decellularization and α-galactosidase (α-gal) to remove major xenoreactive antigens from xenogenic tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS Recomb...

Macrophages are pivotal in promoting wound healing. We hypothesized that topical application of liposomes with glycolipids that carry Galα1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R epitopes (α-gal liposomes) on wounds may accelerate the healing process by rapid recruitment and activation of macrophages in wounds. Immune complexes of the natural anti-Gal Ab (constituting ∼1% of Ig in humans) bound to its ligand, the α-...

Human galectins have functionally divergent roles, although most of the members of the galectin family bind weakly to the simple disaccharide lactose (Galbeta1-4Glc). To assess the specificity of galectin-glycan interactions in more detail, we explored the binding of several important galectins (Gal-1, Gal-2, and Gal-3) using a dose-response approach toward a glycan microarray containing hundre...

The localization of galanin (GAL) was studied in the anterior pituitary of adult male macaque monkeys immunohistochemically. GAL-immunoreactive fiber bundles were noted in the posterior lobe of the pituitary. Cells immunoreactive for GAL were observed in the anterior lobe, and colocalization studies revealed that GAL-like immunoreactivity was present in gonadotrophs and thyrotrophs. The differe...

Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a β galactoside-binding lectin, is implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic airway inflammation and allergen-challenged mice deficient in Gal-3 (Gal-3(-/-)) exhibit decreased airway recruitment of eosinophils (Eos). Gal-3 is expressed and secreted by several cell types and can thus function extracellularly and intracellularly to regulate a variety of cellular responses. We...

The tracking of cellular senescence usually depends on the detection senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal). Previous probes for SA-β-gal with this purpose only cover a single dimension: accumulation enzyme in lysosomes. However, is insufficient to determine destiny because endogenous β-gal enriched lysosomes not related senescence, but also some other physiological processes. To addr...

Xenograft recipients produce large amounts of high-affinity anti-Gal IgG in response to Galalpha1-3Galbeta1- 4GlcNAc-R (alpha-gal) epitopes on the graft. In contrast, ABO-mismatched allograft recipients undergo "accommodation," a state of very weak immune response to ABO antigens. These differences in anti-carbohydrate immune response were studied in alpha1,3galactosyltransferase knock-out mice...