The role of Galectin-3 in cardiac remodeling

Abstract

Galectin-3 is a member of the β-galactoside-binding galectins and is characterized by a carbohydrate recognition domain. Galectin-3 regulates the various biological processes such as cell growth, differentiation, immune function, cancer metastasis, apoptosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Current clinical and experimental evidence repeatedly suggest that galectin-3 expression is upregulated in various stages of cardiac remodeling in cardiovascular diseases. Studies also find that either genetic or pharmacological inhibition of galectin-3 can slow the progression of myocardial inflammation, reduce collagen production, attenuate cardiac remodeling, and ameliorate cardiac function. Altogether these data support further scientific attention for galectin-3 to clarify its precise mechanisms in causing or aggravating cardiac remodeling in cardiovascular diseases. This reviews presents a general survey on galectin-3 as a regulatory molecule affecting the various stages from acute to chronic inflammation and cardiac fibrogenesis in common types of cardiovascular diseases, as well as its potential role in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords

• Cardiac remodeling
• cardiovascular diseases
• galectin-3
• myocardial fibrosis