# Galectins: Role and Therapeutics in Diabetes and Diabetic Foot Ulcers

## TL;DR

This review explores how galectins, especially galectin-3, contribute to diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers, and their potential as therapeutic targets.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of galectin biology and therapeutic potential in diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers.

## Key findings

- Galectins are involved in diabetes complications like fibrosis and inflammation.
- Galectin-3 is a key player in vascular damage and metabolic dysfunction.
- Emerging studies suggest galectins may serve as diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

## Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic inflammatory disease due to decreased insulin release or insulin resistance. Diabetes complications stem from high blood sugar damaging blood vessels and nerves, leading to issues like heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, nerve damage, vision loss, foot ulcers, gum disease, skin infections, and digestive/bladder issues. Galectins, especially galectin-3, are emerging as key players in diabetes complications, promoting fibrosis, inflammation, and vascular damage. This suggests that galectins may be potential therapeutic targets in diabetes and its complications, and a need to understand their role and therapeutic potential. The objective of this review is to synthesize current evidence on galectin biology in diabetes mellitus (mainly on type II diabetes) and DFUs, delineate their mechanistic roles in metabolic dysfunction and wound healing, summarize findings from human and preclinical studies, and evaluate emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Finally, this review highlights key gaps that must be addressed to advance clinical translation. The literature search suggests that galectins play a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and related complications and may be potential therapeutic targets.