LGALS3BP was first discovered in the early 1990s by two independent research groups. It was identified as a 90 kDa tumor-associated antigen recognized by SP2 monoclonal antibody in CG-5 human breast cancer cells and by L3 monoclonal antibody in Calu-1 human lung cancer cells . The protein contains one Galectin domain, but it does not appear to bind carbohydrates or lactose as the critical residues required for binding are not conserved .
LGALS3BP plays a multifunctional role in the human body. It is involved in various cellular processes, including:
Cancer Progression: LGALS3BP is enriched in cancer-associated extracellular vesicles and is considered a promising candidate for targeted therapy in LGALS3BP-positive cancers . Changes in protein glycosylation associated with neoplastic transformation can result in altered glycoprotein conformation, oligomerization, and turnover, affecting cell signaling pathways related to cancer progression .
Innate Immunity: The protein has intracellular activity, mainly implicated in the regulation of innate immune responses. It has been demonstrated that intracellular LGALS3BP reduces the amount of HIV Gag at the plasma membrane via interaction with vimentin and inhibits the proteolytic maturation of HIV gp160/Env . Additionally, it plays a role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases by suppressing TAK1-dependent NF-κB activation .
Autophagy Regulation: Galectins, including LGALS3BP, are involved in autophagy regulation, which is crucial for maintaining intracellular homeostasis under physiological and pathological conditions . Dysregulation of autophagy is associated with various diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, type II diabetes, and heart disease .
The abnormal expression of LGALS3BP is closely related to cancer biology, including vascular formation, cell migration, and tumor immune evasion during carcinogenesis . In most cases, the upregulated expression of LGALS3BP in the tumor microenvironment predicts a poor prognosis . Therefore, LGALS3BP has drawn particular attention in cancer research and therapy.