Lactulose as a novel template for anticancer drug development targeting galectins.

Galectins are carbohydrate binding proteins (lectins), which characteristically bind β-galactosides. Galectins play a role in tumour progression through involvement in proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, immune evasion and drug resistance. There is need for inhibitors (antagonists) that are specific for distinct galectins and that can interfere with galectin-carbohydrate interactions during cancer progression.