Table 3.
Galectins in fibrosis-related liver pathologies
| Galectin Member | Expression | Function and/or effect | Model | Ref. |
| Galectin-1 | Over-expressed in activated HSCs | Induces proliferation of HSCs via ERK 1/2 through CRD domain | HSCs activated in vitro (cultured on plastic for several days) and in vivo (isolated form rats treated with CCl4 or with bile duct ligation) | [93,94] |
| Positive in ICC cells, intracellular expression and secretion | Correlates with histologic dedifferentiation, vascular invasion, and lymph node metastasis | ICC tissue samples, CCKS1 cholangiocarcinoma cell line | [96] | |
| Galectin-3 | Over-expressed in activated HSCs | Induces proliferation via ERK 1/2 involving PKA and PKC pathwaysDependent on CRD domain | HSCs activated in vitro (cultured on plastic for several days) and in vivo (isolated form rats treated with bile duct ligation) | [94] |
| Intracellular Gal3 is required for activation of HSCs via TGF-β | HSCs activated in vivo (isolated form rats treated with CCl4) | [132] | ||
| Extracellular Gal3 required for activation of HSCs. Integrin and CRD dependent effect | HSCs activated in vivo (isolated from rats with bile duct ligation) | [134] | ||
| NFκβ induces expression and secretion of Gal3 in activated HSCs | ||||
| Up-regulated in injured/cirrhotic hepatocytes | Poor liver function | Human fibrotic liver samples and extracts from rats treated with CCl4 | [124,133,136] | |
| Related to the preneoplastic and early neoplastic stages of ICC | ICC tissue samples | [96,137] | ||
| Positive in ICC cells | Intracellular expression is associated withanti-apoptotic activity and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents | ICC cell lines | [138] |
HSC: Hepatic stellate cells; CRD: Carbohydrate recognition domain; ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase; ICC: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; PKA: Protein kinase A; PKC: Protein kinase C.