Galectins: emerging glyco-checkpoints linking immune and vascular programs in inflammation and cancer

Organizer: IRB BioMed Seminars

Date: Wednesday 18 May, 12:00h
Place: Auditorium, PCB

Speaker: Gabriel Rabinovich, PhD - GL - Laboratory of Glycomedicine - Institute of Biology and Experimental Medicine (IBYME) - National Council Research and Faculty of Exact and Natural Science - University of  Buenos Aires - Argentina

Title: "Galectins: emerging glyco-checkpoints linking immune and vascular programs in inflammation and cancer"

Host: Manuel Serrano, PhD 

Abstract:

The responsibility for deciphering the biological information encoded by the glycome- the whole repertoire of glycans in cells and tissues- is assigned to endogenous glycan-binding proteins or lectins whose expression is regulated at sites of inflammation and tumor growth. With the goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets in cancer and autoimmune diseases, our laboratory investigates the molecular interactions between glycosylated receptors and glycan-binding proteins, particularly galectins in the control of immune and vascular programs. In the past years, we have identified essential roles for galectin-1, a proto-type member of the galectin family, in promoting immune evasion in different tumor models and limiting autoimmune inflammatory responses by selectively modulating effector and regulatory T cells and instructing the differentiation of tolerogenic dendritic cells and anti-inflammatory macrophages, Moreover, we identified the contribution of glycosylation-dependent, galectin-driven circuits to  mechanisms of resistance of anti-angiogenic and immunotherapeutic modalities. More recently we validated the relevance of galectin-1-glycan programs in models of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, galectins may function as regulatory checkpoints that translate 'sugar codes' into immune and vascular signaling programs in tumor and inflammatory microenvironments, highlighting their therapeutic potential in a broad range of pathologic conditions.

IRB BioMed Seminars

IMPORTANT: For attendees outside the PCB community you must register at least 24h before the seminar.