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Role of galectin-3 in vascular calcification

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Abstract

Vascular calcification is an abnormal process in which bone specific hydroxyapatite crystals are actively deposited on the vascular wall mediated by phenotypic differentiated smooth muscle cells and other mesenchymal cells under various pathological conditions. It is one of the important characteristics in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis, prevalent in patients with type 2 diabetes and advanced chronic kidney disease, especially those requiring maintenance hemodialysis, with severely threatening human health. Previous studies have shown that the early diagnosis and control of vascular calcification is of great significance for cardiovascular risk stratification, prevention of acute cardiovascular events, which can greatly improve the prognosis and quality of life of patients. Galectins are a family of lectin superfamily. It is widely distributed in various animals and plays an important role in many physiological and pathological processes, such as cell adhesion, apoptosis, inflammatory response, tumor metastasis and so on. Many biomarker-and association-related studies and Preclinical-mechanistic studies have suggested that galactose-specific lectin-3 (galectin-3) plays an important role in vascular calcification and vascular intimal calcification (VIC) calcification induced by Wnt/βcatenin signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway and ERK1/2 signaling pathway. This paper mainly expounds the role and mechanism of galectin-3 in vascular calcification under different pathological conditions including atherosclerosis, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

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Abbreviations

AAC:

Abdominal aortic calcification

AVs:

Aortic valves

BMC:

Bone marrow cell

CAD:

Coronary artery disease

CCS:

Chronic coronary syndrome

CTD:

Carboxyl terminal domain

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

ESRD:

End-stage renal disease

EVs:

Extracellular vesicles

GLDs:

Glucose and lipid metabolism disorders

MCP:

Modified citrus pectin

MHD:

Maintenance hemodialysis

MMP:

Matrix metalloproteinase

ND:

N-terminal domain

TXNIP:

Thioredoxin-interacting protein

VIC:

Vascular intimal calcification

VICS:

Valve stromal cells

VMC:

Vascular medial calcification

WT:

Wild-type

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Funding

This work was supported as follows the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82070455); Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission Project (M2020016); the Open Project Program of Guangxi Key Laboratory of Centre of Diabetic Systems Medicine (GKLCDSM-20210101–02); Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX20_3051).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China

    Yaoyao Cai, Zhen Sun, Chen Shao & Zhongqun Wang

  2. Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China

    Lihua Li

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  1. Yaoyao Cai
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  2. Zhen Sun
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  3. Chen Shao
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  4. Zhongqun Wang
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All authors contributed to the conception and wrote the review, critically reviewed all parts of the manuscript, accepted its final version prior to submission, and account for its content.

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Correspondence to Lihua Li.

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Cai, Y., Sun, Z., Shao, C. et al. Role of galectin-3 in vascular calcification. Glycoconj J 40, 149–158 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10719-023-10106-x

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