Targeting intracellular galectins for cancer treatment.

Although considerable attention has been paid to the role of extracellular galectins in modulating, positively or negatively, tumor growth and metastasis, we have witnessed a growing interest in the role of intracellular galectins in response to their environment. This is not surprising as many galectins preferentially exist in cytosolic and nuclear compartments, which is consistent with the fact that they are exported outside the cells via a yet undefined non-classical mechanism. This review summarizes our most recent knowledge of their intracellular functions in cancer cells and provides some directions for future strategies to inhibit their role in cancer progression.
Competing Interests: YSP are co-inventors on multinational patent applications pending by Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique INRS partially related to this work, all dealing with the use of nanobodies and their use to inhibit a biological, physiological and/or pathological process that involves galectins. The remaining author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2023 Nehmé and St-Pierre.)