Description
Galectins are a family of animal lectins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. This family has at least 14 identified members. Galectins share similarities in the CRD (the carbohydrate recognition domain). Galectins are synthesized as cytosolic proteins. Though localized principally in the cytoplasm and lacking a classical signal peptide, galectins can also be stimulated to secretion by non-classical pathways or alternatively targeted to the nucleus. Galectins are involved in modulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Galectin-9 binds galactosides and has high affinity for the Forssman pentasaccharide. It performs as an eosinophil chemoattractant, participates in thymocyte-epithelial interactions relevant to the biology of the thymus and Inhibits cell proliferation. Galectin-9 is a ligand for HAVCR2/TIM3 and induces T-helper type 1 lymphocyte (Th1) death. It is an S-type lectin which is over-expressed in Hodgkins disease tissue and takes part in the interaction between the H&RS cells with their surrounding cells. Human recombinant Galectin-9 produced in E. coli is a single, non-glycosylated polypeptide chain of 168 amino acids (1-148 a.a.) and a molecular mass of 18.5 kDa. It has been purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques