Microglia-Secreted Galectin-3 Acts as a Toll-like Receptor 4 Ligand and Contributes to Microglial Activation

• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.02.012
• Publication Date: 2015-03-05T17:30:37Z
• Authors: Miguel Angel Burg...; Martina Svensson; Tim Schulte; Antonio Boza-Serrano; Albert Garcia-Qui...; Edel Kavanagh; Martiniano Santiago; Nikenza Viceconte; Maria Jose Oliva-...; Ahmed Mohamed Osman; Emma Salomonsson; Lahouari Amar; Annette Persson; Klas Blomgren; Adnane Achour; Elisabet Englund; Hakon Leffler; Jose Luis Venero; Bertrand Joseph; Tomas Deierborg
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; QH301-705.5; Cell Biology; Biology (General)

Inflammatory response induced by microglia plays a critical role in the demise of neuronal populations neuroinflammatory diseases. Although toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) microglia's inflammatory is fully acknowledged, little known about endogenous ligands that trigger TLR4 activation. Here, we report galectin-3 (Gal3) released acts as an paracrine ligand. Gal3-TLR4 interaction was further confirmed murine model (intranigral lipopolysaccharide [LPS] injection) and human stroke subjects. Depletion Gal3 exerted neuroprotective anti-inflammatory effects following global brain ischemia LPS model. These results suggest Gal3-dependent-TLR4 activation could contribute to sustained activation, prolonging brain.