Feasibility of galectin-3 as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), primarily comprising ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is a group of chronic inflammatory disorders affecting the small intestine and colon. Despite advances in clinical management, significant challenges remain in the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of IBD. Emerging evidence suggests that galectin-3 (Gal-3), a multifunctional protein expressed in intestinal epithelial cells and immune cells, plays a critical role in modulating intestinal immunity and inflammation, making it a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for IBD. This review outlines the structural and functional characteristics of Gal-3 and synthesizes current knowledge on its expression patterns and role in the pathogenesis of IBD. While most studies support a pro-inflammatory role for Gal-3 in IBD, conflicting findings have also been reported. This work critically examines the underlying reasons for such discrepancies and evaluates the potential of Gal-3 as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in IBD.