Galectins and diabetes mellitus

Czech version

Authors: Andrej Dukát ¹; Juraj Payer ¹; Peter Jackuliak ¹; Ján Kyselovič ²; Andrea Gažová ²; Martin Jankovský ¹; Samuel Nachtmann ¹; Juraj Smaha ¹
Authors‘ workplace: V. interná klinika LF UK a UNB, Nemocnica Ružinov, Bratislava ¹; Ústav farmakológie a klinickej farmakológie LF UK v Bratislave ²
Published in: Forum Diab 2025; 14(2): 130-132
Category: Review Article

Overview

Causal link between obesity, insulin resistance and inflammation are at present the known in their patophysiologic relationships. However, affecting an inflammatory mediators as TNF-α and IL-1β among patient have not improved an insulin sensitivity. It is supposed, that the possible such target between an inflammation and insulin sensitivity may be galectin-3. Gallectins have been described in 1994 as a group of betagalactoside-binding lectins, up today such identified about 15. They are classified into three main groups after their structure and carbo-hydrate binding domains. About place and functions of galectins in human pathology we are still not clear, but supposed is the place as prognostic biomarkers. This review describes some of the connections to type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Keywords:

type 2 diabetes mellitus – biomarkers – galectins – galectin 3

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