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. 2020 Dec;84(6):e13311.
doi: 10.1111/aji.13311. Epub 2020 Aug 4.

The chimera-type galectin-3 is a positive modulator of trophoblast functions with dysregulated expression in gestational diabetes mellitus

Nancy Freitag  1   2 , Irene Tirado-González  1 , Gabriela Barrientos  3 , Marie Cohen  4 , Silvia Daher  5 , Debra Goldman-Wohl  6 , Lucia Mincheva-Nilsson  7 , Constance M John  8 , Udo Jeschke  9 , Sandra M Blois  1   10
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The chimera-type galectin-3 is a positive modulator of trophoblast functions with dysregulated expression in gestational diabetes mellitus

Nancy Freitag et al. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Problem: From conception, a delicate regulation of galectins, a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins, is established to ensure maternal immune tolerance in pregnancy. Though galectin-3 (gal-3), the only chimera-type galectin, is abundantly expressed at the feto-maternal interface; the physiological role of this lectin during pregnancy remains to be fully elucidated and requires further investigation.

Method of study: In this study, we analyzed serum gal-3 levels during the course of healthy gestation. Trophoblast functions were evaluated upon gal-3 exogenous stimulation using trophoblastic cell lines (e.g. , HIPEC65, SGHPL-4, and BeWo cells). Finally, we investigated variations in peripheral gal-3 levels associated with the development of spontaneous abortion and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Results: Gal-3 circulating levels increased as normal pregnancy progressed. In vitro experiments showed that exogenous gal-3 positively regulated trophoblast functions inducing invasion, tube formation, and fusion. Compared with normal pregnant women, circulating gal-3 levels were significantly decreased in patients who developed GDM.

Conclusion: Our results reveal a physiological role for gal-3 during pregnancy, promoting proper trophoblast functions associated with healthy gestation. GDM is associated with a failure to increase circulating gal-3 levels late in gestation. Thus, dysregulation of gal-3 may indicate a contribution of the chimera-type lectin to this adverse pregnancy outcome.

Keywords: gal-3; pathological pregnancy; placenta; trophoblast.

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