Galectin-3 binds lactosaminylated lipooligosaccharides from Neisseria gonorrhoeae and is selectively expressed by mucosal epithelial cells that are infected
Galectins are a family of beta-galactoside binding proteins that have been proposed as host receptors for bacteria because beta-galactoside carbohydrates are common in bacterial membrane glycolipid lipooligosaccharides (LOS) and lipopolysaccharides. We investigated the interaction of galectin-3 with gonococcal LOS that make lactosyl (Lc(2) or Lac), paraglobosyl (nLc(4) ; LNnT; lacto-N -neotetraose