Role of galectin-glycan circuits in reproduction: from healthy pregnancy to preterm birth (PTB)

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Role of galectin-glycan circuits in reproduction: from healthy pregnancy to preterm birth (PTB) Sandra M. Blois 1,2,3 & Stefan Verlohren 4 & Gang Wu 5 & Gary Clark 6 & Anne Dell 5 & Stuart M. Haslam 5 & Gabriela Barrientos 7 Received: 24 March 2020 / Accepted: 20 May 2020 # The Author(s) 2020

Abstract Growing evidence suggests that galectins, an evolutionarily conserved family of glycan-binding proteins, fulfill key roles in pregnancy including blastocyst implantation, maternal-fetal immune tolerance, placental development, and maternal vascular expansion, thereby establishing a healthy environment for the growing fetus. In this review, we comprehensively present the function of galectins in shaping cellular circuits that characterize a healthy pregnancy. We describe the current understanding of galectins in term and preterm labor and discuss how the galectin-glycan circuits contribute to key immunological pathways sustaining maternal tolerance and preventing microbial infections. A deeper understanding of the glycoimmune pathways regulating early events in preterm birth could offer the broader translational potential for the treatment of this devastating syndrome. Keywords Galectins . Preterm birth . Microbial infections . Glycans

Introduction Galectins play a paramount role in pregnancy biology, modulating a wide range of processes from embryo implantation to parturition. Different galectins coexist at the feto-maternal interface where besides coordinating placentation and maternal immune adaptation to the semi-allogenic fetus, they also play a role in maternal vascular expansion [1]. Though most of their biological functions during gestation are exerted through

binding endogenous glycan structures, galectins can also recognize exogenous specific glycans on the surface of bacteria, viruses, parasites and therefore function as pattern recognition receptors [2]. As a result, galectins appear to be critical in the microbial glycan-host interactions that promote the engagement of specific immune cell subsets and shape host immunity. Thus, given their unique ability to modulate maternal immunity galectins emerge as important players in preterm birth (PTB) syndrome, which most often is associated with

This article is a contribution to the special issue on Preterm birth: Pathogenesis and clinical consequences revisited - Guest Editors: Anke Diemert and Petra Arck * Sandra M. Blois [email protected] 1

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Experimental and Clinical Research Center, A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, AG GlycoImmunology, Berlin, Germany Institute for Medical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

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Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

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Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK

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Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Wome