Sialylation is an important terminal modification of glycoconjugates that mediate diverse functions in physiology and disease. In this review we focus on how altered cell surface sialylation status is sensed by cytosolic galectins when the integrity of intracellular vesicles or organelles is compromised to expose luminal glycans to the cytosolic milieu, and how this impacts galectin-mediated cellular responses. In addition, we discuss the roles of mammalian sialidases on the cell surface, in the organelle lumen and cytosol, and raise the possibility that intracellular glycan processing may be critical in controlling various galectin-mediated responses when cells encounter stress.

唾液酸化是糖缀合物的重要末端修饰，可介导生理学和疾病中的多种功能。在这篇综述中，我们重点关注当细胞内囊泡或细胞器的完整性受到损害以将管腔聚糖暴露于细胞溶质环境时，细胞溶质半乳糖凝集素如何感知细胞表面唾液酸化状态的改变，以及这如何影响半乳糖凝集素介导的细胞反应。此外，我们讨论了哺乳动物唾液酸酶在细胞表面、细胞器腔和胞质溶胶中的作用，并提出了细胞内聚糖加工可能在细胞遇到压力时控制各种半乳糖凝集素介导的反应中发挥关键作用的可能性。