The comprehensive guide to the current understanding of galectins and their promising potential in drug design This is the first book focusing on galectins. It was inspired by topics discussed at the symposium "e;Galectins: Structures, Functions, and Therapeutic Targets"e; that was a part of the 234th American Chemical Society meeting in 2007. To help chemists, biochemists, and others understand the challenges inherent in the study of galectins and build on recent advances in the field, the editors have compiled articles from leading experts on galectins and their biomedical applications. Galectins includes: * An overview of early galectin research * An explanation of the nature of galectins * A discussion of the structure and functions of galectins, their ligand specificity and molecular mechanisms of action, and the localization of galectins in the cell * An exploration of the roles galectins play in tumor growth and cancer, fibrosis, inflammation, and immunity * A discussion of the effect of galectins on cell migration, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance * An introduction to new approaches to designing galectin inhibitors This is the premier reference on galectins for organic, medicinal, carbohydrate, and pharmaceutical chemists, biochemists, molecular and cell biologists, pharmacologists, cancer researchers, and graduate-level students in these disciplines, as well as clinicians and drug developers.

The comprehensive guide to the current understanding of galectinsand their promising potential in drug designThis is the first book focusing on galectins. It was inspired bytopics discussed at the symposium "Galectins: StructuresFunctions, and Therapeutic Targets" that was a part of the 234thAmerican Chemical Society meeting in 2007. To help chemistsbiochemists, and others understand the challenges inherent in thestudy of galectins and build on recent advances in the field, theeditors have compiled articles from leading experts on galectinsand their biomedical applications. Galectins includes:* An overview of early galectin research* An explanation of the nature of galectins* A discussion of the structure and functions of galectins, theirligand specificity and molecular mechanisms of action, and thelocalization of galectins in the cell* An exploration of the roles galectins play in tumor growth andcancer, fibrosis, inflammation, and immunity* A discussion of the effect of galectins on cell migrationangiogenesis, and chemoresistance* An introduction to new approaches to designing galectininhibitorsThis is the premier reference on galectins for organic, medicinalcarbohydrate, and pharmaceutical chemists, biochemists, molecularand cell biologists, pharmacologists, cancer researchers, andgraduate-level students in these disciplines, as well as cliniciansand drug developers.

Preface.1. Stumbling on Galectins (Samuel H. Barondes).2. Galectins and their Functions in Plain Language (Anatole A.Klyosov).3. Understanding Galectin Structure-Function Relationships toDesign Effective Antagonists (Irina V. Nesmelova, Ruud P.M. Dingsand Kevin H. Mayo).4. Galectins as Regulators of Tumor Growth and Invasion byTargeting Distinct Cell Surface Glycans and Implications for DrugDesign (Hans-J. Gabius and Albert M. Wu).5. Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Localization of Galectin-1 andGalectin-3 and their Roles in pre-mRNA Splicing (John L. WangKevin C. Haudek, Patricia G. Voss and Ronald J. Patterson).6. Galectins in Regulation of Inflammation and Immunity (Fu-TongLiu, Daniel K. Hsu, Ri-Yao Yang, Huan-Yuan Chen and JunSaegusa).7. Galectins as Danger Signals in Host-Pathogen and Host-TumorInteractions: New Members of the Growing Group of "Alarmins"(Sachiko Sato and Gabriel Rabinovich).8. The Role of Galectins in Organ Fibrosis (Neil C. Hendersonand Tariq Sethi).9. Galectin-1, Cancer Cell Migration, Angiogenesis andChemoresistance (Florence Lefranc, Marie Le Mercier, VéroniqueMathieu and Robert Kiss).10. Galectin-3 in the Progression and Metastasis of ColorectalNeoplasia (James C. Byrd and Robert S. Bresalier).11. Galectins in Malignant Gliomas: Expression, Functions andPossible Therapeutic Options (Herwig M. Strik and AnnaHoffman).12. Food-Related Carbohydrate Ligands for Galectins (Valeri V.Mossine, Vladislav V. Glinsky and Thomas P. Mawhinney).Index.