An alternative for healing through the use of lectins: an overview

The lectins are proteins or glycoproteins, present one or more domain for reversible bonds of high specificity for carbohydrates. These proteins have a wide distribution in nature and can be found in plants, animals and micro-organisms. The lectins have different biological activities, with importance in different areas, this potential is a result of the ability of their domains. Based on this assumption, the work aims to report the lectins that have healing activity and in this way are targets for synthesis of natural products. The healing process becomes therapeutic target in the treatment of patients with diseases in which the tissue repair is slow or flawed. The lectins are studied with pharmaceutical interest, in order to induce the reepithelization process and accelerate healing. From lectins isolated from red algae, it was seen the decrease of areas of subcutaneous lesions and the increase of healing in the skin of animals tested. During the administration of Hydrogel containing Cramoll, the treated groups showed complete reepithelization of skin wounds. While the Frutapina showed high affinity for structures that contains glucose and mannose, presented low cytotoxicity and stimulated cell migration. The Galectins are involved in endogenous regulatory processes of inflammation and tissue repair. Cell-cell contact is a cellular phenomenon that mediates healing and is correlated with Galectin-3 expression, is also associated with the activation of cells that deposit collagen and constitute the dermis. The Galectin-1 accelerated the healing process by activation of the Smad3/NOX4 pathway by the predominant receptor NRP-1 in myofibroblasts. It is known that patients with hypertrophic scars, have low levels of the protein profile of Galectin-7. The lectins have a potential as healing agents and assistants of cell repair, being, therefore an alternative therapeutic source for the synthesis of natural products with healing action.