The present invention is directed to the discovery that Galectins and in particular, Galectin-8 and Galectin-9 control mTor response (Galectin-8 is a mTOR inhibitor and Galectin-9 is modulator/upregulator of AMPKinase) to endomembrane damage and these compositions can be used, either alone or together, optionally in combination with a lysomotropic agent and other bioactive agents as compositions for the treatment of autophagy-elated diseases. The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating autophagy-related diseases as described herein.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating cancer, comprising a recombinant stabilized galectin-9 protein, and it was confirmed that as a result of treating cancer cells with the recombinant stabilized galectin-9 protein, the effects of inhibiting the cell growth of the cancer cells and inducing cell death were exhibited; as a result of administering the recombinant stabilized galectin-9 protein to a cancer-induced animal model, the effects of reducing the size of cancer tissue and increasing viability without side effects such as weight loss were exhibited; and, when a complex, mixture or combination of the protein and an anticancer drug is administered, synergistic anticancer activity was exhibited, and thus the pharmaceutical composition comprising a recombinant stabilized galectin-9 protein as an active ingredient, according to the present invention, can be effectively used for prevention or treatment of cancer.

Devices, compositions, and methods are described which provide a tubular nanostructure or a composite tubular nanostructure targeted to a lipid bilayer membrane. The tubular nanostructure includes a hydrophobic surface region flanked by two hydrophilic surface regions. The tubular nanostructure is configured to interact with a lipid bilayer membrane and form a pore in the lipid bilayer membrane. The tubular nanostructure may be targeted by including at least one ligand configured to bind to one or more cognates on the lipid bilayer membrane of a target cell.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for preventing and treating damage to the heart subsequent to myocardial infarction (MI) resulting from harmful fibrotic remodeling, thereby improving cardiac function and reducing mortality from subsequent heart failure.

Compositions and methods for treating solid and hematological cancers, including Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), are provided herein. The methods include administering truncated, dominant-negative, forms of Galectin-3.

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions related to lectin-coated bacteria of any kind and the imparted activity of being resistant to one or more antibacterial agents and or environmental conditions. In at least some cases, lectin-coated bacteria are utilized to improve a microbiome in a subject. The lectin-coated bacteria may also be employed for uptake into cells, including eukaryotic cells such as mammalian cells.

Devices, compositions, and methods are described which provide a tubular nanostructure or a composite tubular nanostructure targeted to a lipid bilayer membrane. The tubular nanostructure includes a hydrophobic surface region flanked by two hydrophilic surface regions. The tubular nanostructure is configured to interact with a lipid bilayer membrane and form a pore in the lipid bilayer membrane. The tubular nanostructure may be targeted by including at least one ligand configured to bind to one or more cognates on the lipid bilayer membrane of a target cell.

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a member of the collectin family of collagenous lectin domain-containing proteins that is expressed in epithelial cells of the lung. Described herein are methods and compositions for the treatment of disorders associated with lung injury, including methods and compositions for the treatment of bronchopulmonary disorder (BPD).

Ophthalmic compositions including compatible solute components and/or polyanionic components are useful in treating eyes, for example, to relieve dry eye syndrome, to protect the eyes against hypertonic insult and/or the adverse effects of cationic species on the ocular surfaces of eyes and/or to facilitate recovery from eye surgery.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing an endocytosis enhancer comprising associates formed from a fluorescent protein. The fluorescent protein is preferably any one selected from the group consisting of a white fluorescent protein, a red fluorescent protein, a yellow fluorescent protein, a blue fluorescent protein and a green fluorescent protein. The endocytosis enhancer according to the present invention can enhance the cellular uptake of a drug, which is encapsulated in micelles each formed from a fluorescent-protein-supported carbosilane dendrimer, through endocytosis.