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Updated: Dec 14, 2025
Trophoblast Cell Recovery from Angiogenesis-Tube Formation Assay for Differentiation Marker Expression Analysis
Published on: November 8, 2024
The chimera-type galectin-3 is a positive modulator of trophoblast functions with dysregulated expression in
Nancy Freitag1,2, Irene Tirado-González1, Gabriela Barrientos3
1Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a Cooperation between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, AG GlycoImmunology, the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Problem:
From conception, a delicate regulation of galectins, a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins, is established to ensure maternal immune tolerance in pregnancy. Though galectin-3 (gal-3), the only chimera-type galectin, is abundantly expressed at the feto-maternal interface; the physiological role of this lectin during pregnancy remains to be fully elucidated and requires further investigation.
Method Of Study:
In this study, we analyzed serum gal-3 levels during the course of healthy gestation. Trophoblast functions were evaluated upon gal-3 exogenous stimulation using trophoblastic cell lines (e.g. , HIPEC65, SGHPL-4, and BeWo cells). Finally, we investigated variations in peripheral gal-3 levels associated with the development of spontaneous abortion and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Results:
Gal-3 circulating levels increased as normal pregnancy progressed. In vitro experiments showed that exogenous gal-3 positively regulated trophoblast functions inducing invasion, tube formation, and fusion. Compared with normal pregnant women, circulating gal-3 levels were significantly decreased in patients who developed GDM.
Conclusion:
Our results reveal a physiological role for gal-3 during pregnancy, promoting proper trophoblast functions associated with healthy gestation. GDM is associated with a failure to increase circulating gal-3 levels late in gestation. Thus, dysregulation of gal-3 may indicate a contribution of the chimera-type lectin to this adverse pregnancy outcome.
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