Galectin Lattices play a crucial roles in endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19. There is a connection between acute thrombosis, hyper-inflammation, cytokine storm, immune cell recruitment, platelet aggregation, vasoconstriction, and endothelial apoptosis. The theory is that a galectin-glycan lattice is formed on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This lattice structure influences endothelial cell behavior & inflammatory response, but also induces conformational changes in the virus that aid in attachment and entry into endothelial cells. Galectin inhibitors should be investigated in COVID-19 infection.
