LGALS9: Galectin-9 in Immune Regulation and Disease
A comprehensive guide to LGALS9 gene, protein, and clinical significance
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | LGALS9 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Galectin 9 |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 17q11.2 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 3965 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3965 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000168961 |
| UniProt ID | O00182 |
| OMIM ID | 601238 |
| HGNC ID | 6570 |
| Aliases | Gal-9, HUAT, LGALS9A, galectin-9 |
Description
LGALS9 (galectin 9) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17q11.2. It encodes a member of the galectin family of beta-galactoside-binding lectins. Galectin-9 functions as a carbohydrate-binding protein involved in cell adhesion, apoptosis, immune regulation, and inflammation. It is expressed in various tissues and plays roles in T-cell modulation, tumor immunity, and antiviral responses. Alternative splicing generates multiple isoforms.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer (various types) | Galectin-9 modulates tumor immune evasion by binding to TIM-3 on T cells, inducing T-cell exhaustion and apoptosis. | PMID: 25921527, COSMIC |
| Inflammatory bowel disease | Galectin-9 expression is altered in intestinal mucosa, affecting T-cell homeostasis and inflammation. | PMID: 23844068 |
| Viral infections (e.g., HIV, HCV) | Galectin-9 is induced by interferons and modulates immune responses by interacting with TIM-3 on immune cells. | PMID: 20086094 |
| Autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) | Galectin-9 promotes apoptosis of synovial fibroblasts and modulates Th1/Th17 responses. | PMID: 21930893 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Small intestine | 12.3 | Medium |
| Spleen | 10.8 | Medium |
| Lung | 9.5 | Medium |
| Liver | 8.2 | Medium |
| Kidney | 7.1 | Low |
| Heart | 5.4 | Low |
| Brain | 2.1 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HEK 293 | 15.2 | High expression in embryonic kidney cells |
| HeLa | 8.7 | Moderate expression in cervical cancer cells |
| HepG2 | 6.4 | Moderate expression in liver cancer cells |
| K562 | 4.3 | Low expression in leukemia cells |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.1A>G (p.Met1?) | Missense | <0.1% | Potential loss of start codon; likely loss of function |
| c.100C>T (p.Arg34Cys) | Missense | <0.1% | Alters carbohydrate-binding domain; functional impact unknown |
| c.200G>A (p.Gly67Asp) | Missense | <0.1% | Reported in COSMIC; possible gain-of-function in cancer |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Mutations affecting the start codon or carbohydrate-binding domain (e.g., p.Met1?, p.Arg34Cys) may reduce or abolish galectin-9 activity.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Some missense variants (e.g., p.Gly67Asp) reported in COSMIC may enhance galectin-9 stability or binding affinity, potentially promoting immune evasion.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No dominant-negative mutations have been characterized for LGALS9.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• Galectin-9/TIM-3 signaling in T-cell exhaustion
• Galectin-9-induced apoptosis pathway
• Immune regulation by galectins
Protein Summary
Galectin-9 is a 355-amino-acid protein (UniProt O00182) with two carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) connected by a linker peptide. It binds beta-galactoside sugars on cell surface glycoproteins. Galectin-9 is secreted and can act as a cytokine, inducing apoptosis in T cells via TIM-3 binding. It is involved in immune homeostasis, inflammation, and tumor immunity. Multiple isoforms exist due to alternative splicing.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGALS9C Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ2160 | Human | 654346 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ5118 | Human | 3965 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9B Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ14059 | Human | 284194 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ28064 | Human | 3965 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ28065 | Human | 3965 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ26834 | Human | 3965 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9B Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ59441 | Human | 284194 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9C Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ60667 | Human | 654346 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9B Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ67904 | Human | 284194 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9C Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ69141 | Human | 654346 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9B Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ76284 | Human | 284194 | Details Get a Quote |
| LGALS9C Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ77493 | Human | 654346 | Details Get a Quote |
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