Different affinity of galectins for human serum glycoproteins: galectin-3 binds many protease inhibitors and acute phase proteins.
Here we report the first survey of galectin binding to glycoproteins of human serum. Serum was subjected to affinity chromatography using immobilized galectins, and the bound glycoproteins were analyzed by electrophoresis, Western blotting, and mass spectrometry. Galectins-3, -8 and -9 bound a much broader range of ligands in serum than previously known, galectin-1 bound less, and galectins-2, -4