Galectins

The comprehensive guide to the current understanding of galectins and their promising potential in drug design This is the first book focusing on galectins. It was inspired by topics discussed at the symposium "Galectins: Structures, Functions, and Therapeutic Targets" that was a part of the 234th American Chemical Society meeting in 2007. To help chemists, biochemists, and others understand the challenges inherent in the study of galectins and build on recent advances in the field, the editors have compiled articles from leading experts on galectins and their biomedical applications. Galectins includes: * An overview of early galectin research * An explanation of the nature of galectins * A discussion of the structure and functions of galectins, their ligand specificity and molecular mechanisms of action, and the localization of galectins in the cell * An exploration of the roles galectins play in tumor growth and cancer, fibrosis, inflammation, and immunity * A discussion of the effect of galectins on cell migration, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance * An introduction to new approaches to designing galectin inhibitors This is the premier reference on galectins for organic, medicinal, carbohydrate, and pharmaceutical chemists, biochemists, molecular and cell biologists, pharmacologists, cancer researchers, and graduate-level students in these disciplines, as well as clinicians and drug developers.

In the post-genomic era, many efforts have been devoted to better understanding the biological information encoded by the cell "glycome" in normal and pathologic conditions. The glycan signature of human cells plays a pivotal role in regulating fundamental biological processes, which are critical for cell physiology and for cancer as well. Galectins (also worded S-type lectins) are an evolutionarily conserved family of endogenous lectins, which bind carbohydrates with high specificity. These molecules, which can be found both intracellularly and in the extracellular milieu, are functionally active in converting glycan-containing information into cell biological programs. This fashionable mechanism of signal transduction plays a relevant role in regulating several biological functions, including RNA splicing, gene transcription, cell migration and differentiation, apoptosis, immune response, and tumor growth and progression. It is not surprising, indeed, that a large number of studies on galectin-glycan interactions and galectins expression and function in human diseases have been published in the recent literature, spanning from immunology to cardiovascular medicine, from diagnostic Pathology to nuclear medicine. The aim of this Special Issue of IJMS is to collect selected contributions in the field reporting data, concepts, and new ideas, which have the potential to be translated in a clinical setting in the near future, in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other relevant human diseases.

Galectins—Advances in Research and Application: 2012 Edition is a ScholarlyBrief™ that delivers timely, authoritative, comprehensive, and specialized information about Galectins in a concise format. The editors have built Galectins—Advances in Research and Application: 2012 Edition on the vast information databases of ScholarlyNews.™ You can expect the information about Galectins in this eBook to be deeper than what you can access anywhere else, as well as consistently reliable, authoritative, informed, and relevant. The content of Galectins—Advances in Research and Application: 2012 Edition has been produced by the world’s leading scientists, engineers, analysts, research institutions, and companies. All of the content is from peer-reviewed sources, and all of it is written, assembled, and edited by the editors at ScholarlyEditions™ and available exclusively from us. You now have a source you can cite with authority, confidence, and credibility. More information is available at http://www.ScholarlyEditions.com/.

Sugar chains (glycans) are often attached to proteins and lipids and have multiple roles in the organization and function of all organisms. "Essentials of Glycobiology" describes their biogenesis and function and offers a useful gateway to the understanding of glycans.

This volume in The Year in Immunology series focuses on reviews covering novel approaches to our understanding of immunoregulatory mechanisms. A wide-range of topics is covered within this volume, including: Lineage determination of T cells Roles of various receptors in B-cell activation Activation of plasmactyoid dendritic cells Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) in inflammation and immunity Autoimmune disorders NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas. ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member.

A comprehensive survey of the topic, ranging from basic molecular research to clinical applications. Critical reviews by leading experts in each field summarize the state of knowledge and discuss the anticipated benefits of novel approaches and strategies. These include the impact of modern analysis techniques on glycobiology, the use of synthetic neoglycoproteins, or the clinical consequences of new insights into the physiological role of lectins and glycoconjugates in pathology, oncology, immunity, neuroscience and reproduction medicine. Throughout, the aim is to separate realistic applications from mere hopes.

Introduces Groundbreaking Approaches for Assessing Lectin Function Lectins and their ligands are under quite a heavy microscope due to their potential applications to pharmacology, immunology, cancer therapy, and agriculture. With growing interest in the glycobiology field, the body of research related to lectin roles has grown at an explosive rate

Modified citrus pectin (MCP) is an amazing substance backed by impressive research. In this book, you'll learn that in addition to having the same beneficial effects as pectin, from which it is derived, MCP also has the extraordinary added benefit of protecting against cancer, cancer progression, and heart disease. Of all diseases, MCP has been studied most extensively for prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers in men. MCP has been shown to slow PSA doubling time, to stop the spread of prostate cancer, and to kill prostate cancer cells. Moreover, you'll learn how it may lower cholesterol, reduce atherosclerosis, remove heavy metals and environmental toxins from the body, and prevent and reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.