Table 1. Immunoregulatory role of galectin-3 in autoimmune, inflammatory, and malignant diseases.

Models	Strategies used	Disease outcome	Mechanisms	References
EAE	Gal-3-deficient mice immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)35–55 peptide	Decreased severity	Reduced leukocyte infiltration and higher frequency of Foxp3+ T regs in the CNS Decreased IFN-γ and IL-17 production by LN cells Higher serum levels of IL-10, IL-5, and IL-13	26
Type 1 diabetes	Diabetes induction by multiple low doses of streptozotocin in Gal-3-deficient mice	Decreased severity	Decreased mononuclear cell infiltration in pancreatic islets Absence of TNF-α and IL-17 in draining pancreatic LN Decreased TNF-α and NO production by macrophages	27
Experimental hepatitis	Con A-induced hepatitis in Gal-3-deficient mice	Decreased severity	Decreased influx of mononuclear cells and CD4+ cells expressing proinflammatory cytokines, while increased IL-10 expressing CD4+ T cells and F4/80+ macrophages in liver	28
	Con A-induced hepatitis in mice pre-treated with Gal-3 inhibitor TD139	Decreased severity	Decreased influx of mononuclear cells and CD4+ cell expressing proinflammatory cytokines, while increased IL-10 expressing CD4+ T cells and F4/80+ macrophages in liver
Murine melanoma	Intravenous inoculation of B16F1 malignant melanoma in Gal-3-deficient mice	Resistance to lung metastases	Decreased adhesion of B16F1 cells to lung tissue Increased NK-cell cytotoxicity to B16F1 cells in vitro Higher percentage of effective cytotoxic CD27highCD11bhigh, and reduced NK cells expressing inhibitory KLRG1 receptor in spleens	29