LGALS13: Galectin-13 (Placental Protein 13)
A galectin family member with roles in immune modulation, placental development, and pregnancy-related disorders.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | LGALS13 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Galectin 13 |
| Gene Type | protein-coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 19q13.2 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 29124 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/29124 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000105173 |
| UniProt ID | Q9UHV8 |
| OMIM ID | 608163 |
| HGNC ID | 6566 |
| Aliases | PP13, Gal-13, PLAC8, galectin-13 |
Description
LGALS13 encodes galectin-13, also known as placental protein 13 (PP13). This protein belongs to the galectin family of beta-galactoside-binding lectins and is predominantly expressed in the placenta, particularly in syncytiotrophoblasts. Galectin-13 is involved in immune modulation at the maternal-fetal interface, regulation of trophoblast invasion, and apoptosis. Altered expression is associated with pre-eclampsia and other pregnancy complications. The protein also exhibits hemagglutination activity and may play roles in cancer progression.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-eclampsia | Reduced placental expression of LGALS13 leads to impaired immune tolerance and trophoblast invasion, contributing to the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. | PMID: 19249044; ClinVar |
| Recurrent pregnancy loss | Altered LGALS13 levels may disrupt maternal-fetal immune regulation, increasing risk of miscarriage. | PMID: 22906517 |
| Placental insufficiency | Decreased PP13 in maternal serum is associated with placental dysfunction and intrauterine growth restriction. | PMID: 21802090 |
| Cancer (various) | Galectin-13 overexpression in certain tumors (e.g., ovarian, breast) may promote immune evasion and metastasis. | COSMIC; PMID: 25636840 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Placenta | 123.4 | High |
| Testis | 2.1 | Low |
| Lung | 0.8 | Not detected |
| Liver | 0.5 | Not detected |
| Kidney | 0.3 | Not detected |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| JEG-3 (choriocarcinoma) | 45.2 | Placental trophoblast model |
| BeWo (choriocarcinoma) | 38.7 | Placental trophoblast model |
| MCF-7 (breast cancer) | 12.5 | Moderate expression |
| HeLa (cervical cancer) | 3.1 | Low expression |
| HEK293 (embryonic kidney) | 0.9 | Not detected |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.220C>T (p.Arg74Cys) | Missense | <0.1% | Unknown functional impact; rare in population databases |
| c.347G>A (p.Arg116His) | Missense | <0.1% | Reported in ClinVar as variant of uncertain significance |
| c.1A>G (p.Met1Val) | Start loss | <0.1% | Likely loss-of-function; associated with reduced PP13 levels |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Start-loss mutations (e.g., p.Met1Val) and truncating variants are predicted to abolish protein function, potentially contributing to placental dysfunction.
Gain of Function (GOF)
No confirmed gain-of-function mutations reported in LGALS13.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No evidence of dominant-negative effects for LGALS13 mutations.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• Galectin pathway (Reactome: R-HSA-198933)
• Immune system (Reactome: R-HSA-168256)
• Apoptosis (KEGG: hsa04210)
• Cell adhesion molecules (KEGG: hsa04514)
Protein Summary
Galectin-13 (PP13) is a 16 kDa protein composed of a single carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD) characteristic of prototype galectins. It forms homodimers and binds beta-galactoside sugars on cell surfaces and extracellular matrix. The protein is secreted by syncytiotrophoblasts into maternal circulation, where it modulates immune cell function (e.g., T-cell apoptosis, macrophage activation) and promotes angiogenesis. Its expression is tightly regulated during pregnancy, with peak levels in the third trimester. Recombinant PP13 is being investigated as a biomarker for pre-eclampsia screening.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGALS13 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ9001 | Human | 29124 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS13 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ56105 | Human | 29124 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS13 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ64591 | Human | 29124 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS13 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ73045 | Human | 29124 | Details Get a Quote |
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