Galectin-1 in injured rat spinal cord: Implications for macrophage phagocytosis and neural repair

Galectin-1 (Gal1) is a protein that can help regenerate damaged nerves in the peripheral nervous system. It does this partly by affecting the function of macrophages, which are immune cells that clean up debris at the injury site. After spinal cord injury (SCI), Gal1 expression increases in the injured area, particularly within the core of the lesion. It is found in macrophages and astrocytes, which are types of cells that respond to injury in the central nervous system. The amount of Gal1 in macrophages seems to be related to their ability to engulf and remove debris. Macrophages with more Gal1 tend to contain less engulfed material, suggesting that Gal1 may affect how efficiently these cells clean up the injury site.

• 1
  Gal1 mRNA and protein expression are significantly increased in the lesion epicenter during the first week post-SCI.
• 2
  Gal1 is upregulated in macrophages/microglia within the lesion core, particularly in those that are non-phagocytic.
• 3
  Astrocytes, but not microglia, express increased levels of Gal1 in the lesion border.