摘要
Galectins(Gals)are evolutionarily conserved proteins that bind to b-galactoside containing glycans.Abnormal expression of Gals is associated with the development,progression,and metastasis of different types of cancer.Among the 11 Gals identified in humans,the roles of Gal-1 and Gal-3 have been extensively investigated in various tumors.Here,we summarize the roles of overly expressed Gal-1 and Gal-3 in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).The overexpression of Gal-1 and Gal-3 correlates with tumor growth,HCC cell migration and invasion,tumor aggressiveness,metastasis,and poor prognosis.A potentially promising future treatment strategy for HCC may include the combination of immunotherapy with Gal-1 inhibition.Additional research is warranted to investigate targeting Gal-1 and Gal-3 for HCC treatment.
基金
This manuscript is supported by grants funded by the USA National Institutes of Health(NIH)U01CA179582,R01CA222490,T32 CA108459-15
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center seed grant.