Galectin-3

Galectin-3 (LGALS3) is a galactose-specific lectin that functions as both a cell-surface and nuclear protein with diverse roles in inflammation and cellular homeostasis (UniProt: P17931). It mediates inflammatory responses including neutrophil activation, monocyte chemoattraction, and mast cell activation, and coordinates autophagy regulation through interaction with TRIM16, ATG16L1, and BECN1 in response to endomembrane damage (UniProt: P17931).

In the context of Alzheimer's Disease, Galectin-3 is upregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls (Chaparral AD proteomics), with a mean log2 fold-change of 0.39 across subcellular fractions in a TMT-labeled quantitative proteomics study. This elevation suggests potential involvement in AD-associated neuroinflammatory and autophagic processes, consistent with the protein's known roles in inflammatory activation and autophagy coordination. The upregulation across multiple subcellular fractions indicates a broad shift in Galectin-3 abundance in affected tissue.