Korean J Vet Res.  2013 Sep;53(3):159-162.

Immunohistochemical localization of galectin-3 in the brain with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (DA strain) infection

• Shin T
• Carrillo-Salinas FJ
• Feliu Martinez A
• Mecha M
• Guaza C

Abstract

Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside-binding lectin that plays a role in neuroinflammation through cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. In the present study, regulation of galectin-3 was examined in the brain of mice infected with the Daniel strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) at days 7 and 81 post-infection by immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemistry revealed that galectin-3 was mainly localized in ionized calcium-binding adapter 1-positive macrophages/activated microglia, but not in Iba-1-positive ramified microglia. Galectin-3 was also weakly detected in some astrocytes in the same encephalitic lesions, but not in neurons and oligodendrocytes. Collectively, the present findings suggest that galectin-3, mainly produced by activated microglia/macrophages, may be involved in the pathogenesis of virus induced acute inflammation in the early stage as well as the chronic demyelinating lesions in Daniel strain of TMEV induced demyelination model.

Keyword

encephalomyelitis; galectin-3; macrophages; microglia; Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus

MeSH Terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Astrocytes
Brain*
Cell Movement
Demyelinating Diseases
Encephalomyelitis
Galectin 3*
Immunohistochemistry
Inflammation
Macrophages
Mice
Microglia
Neurons
Oligodendroglia
Theilovirus*
Viruses
Galectin 3