Expression of galectin-1 in immune cells and glial cells after spinal cord injury.

Galectin-1, a member of a family of beta-galactoside-binding proteins, is differentially expressed by various tissues and performs a wide range of biological functions. Galectin-1 has been shown to mediate inflammation and to be involved in axonal regeneration in the oxidized form and in axonal degeneration in the reduced form; however, its involvement in injury and the repair processes after spinal cord injury have not been studied. Therefore, we studied galectin-1 expression in injured spinal cords. Immunostaining analysis of galectin-1 in injured spinal cords revealed that galectin-1-expressing cells assembled around the lesion site. Galectin-1 was intensively expressed by neutrophils 1 day, by microglia/macrophages 3 days, and by astrocytes 7 days after spinal cord injury. These results suggest that galectin-1 may be associated with the pathogenesis of spinal cord injury.