Developing Antibodies Against Galectin-3 and Galectin-9 to Target Endometriosis
Faculty Mentor
Luis Matos
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-14-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-14-2026 4:00 PM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Biology
Abstract
Endometriosis is a disease characterized by pelvic pain and the formation of endometrial-like tissue on the outside of the uterine lining. This condition affects nearly 10% of women across the globe and confirming whether someone has Endometriosis requires visualization in surgery. While the specific causes of this disease remain unclear, the overexpression of Galectins 3 and 9 in endometriotic tissues suggests that they play a role in the development and maintenance of the condition. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are highly specific proteins with potential as diagnostic or treatment tools. The goal of this study is to generate antibodies against Gal3 and Gal9. The mice received Gal3 (8 mice), Gal9 (8 mice), vehicle control (Freund’s Complete Adjuvant: 3 mice), or nothing (control, 3 mice). Two weeks after the initial immunization, blood was collected via tail snips, and the serum was used in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) to quantify anti-Galectin IgG antibodies. The mice’s health stayed within IUACUC guidelines, and no mice in the study were disqualified due to side effects. The ELISA using serum anti-Gal3 or anti-Gal9 serum diluted to 1/10,000 yielded a strong signal. Even at a 1/100,000 dilution, the signal was distinguishable from background and control mice samples. These results indicate that the immune response against our proteins is strong and the mice are progressing well toward the next phase of our research: monoclonal antibody generation. In the spring quarter, B-cells isolated from the spleens of immunized mice will be fused with myeloma cells and cultured in specialized medium to generate stable antibody-producing hybridoma cell lines producing mAbs. These will be tested for target specificity and off-target behaviors using ELISAs. This research aims to contribute to the development of improved diagnostic tools and/or targeted treatments for Endometriosis.
Recommended Citation
Vue, Cheyenne; Burger, Ashleigh; Reisnouer, Jared; and Farnsworth, Noah, "Developing Antibodies Against Galectin-3 and Galectin-9 to Target Endometriosis" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 27.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/ps_2026/p3_2026/27
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Developing Antibodies Against Galectin-3 and Galectin-9 to Target Endometriosis
PUB NCR
Endometriosis is a disease characterized by pelvic pain and the formation of endometrial-like tissue on the outside of the uterine lining. This condition affects nearly 10% of women across the globe and confirming whether someone has Endometriosis requires visualization in surgery. While the specific causes of this disease remain unclear, the overexpression of Galectins 3 and 9 in endometriotic tissues suggests that they play a role in the development and maintenance of the condition. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are highly specific proteins with potential as diagnostic or treatment tools. The goal of this study is to generate antibodies against Gal3 and Gal9. The mice received Gal3 (8 mice), Gal9 (8 mice), vehicle control (Freund’s Complete Adjuvant: 3 mice), or nothing (control, 3 mice). Two weeks after the initial immunization, blood was collected via tail snips, and the serum was used in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) to quantify anti-Galectin IgG antibodies. The mice’s health stayed within IUACUC guidelines, and no mice in the study were disqualified due to side effects. The ELISA using serum anti-Gal3 or anti-Gal9 serum diluted to 1/10,000 yielded a strong signal. Even at a 1/100,000 dilution, the signal was distinguishable from background and control mice samples. These results indicate that the immune response against our proteins is strong and the mice are progressing well toward the next phase of our research: monoclonal antibody generation. In the spring quarter, B-cells isolated from the spleens of immunized mice will be fused with myeloma cells and cultured in specialized medium to generate stable antibody-producing hybridoma cell lines producing mAbs. These will be tested for target specificity and off-target behaviors using ELISAs. This research aims to contribute to the development of improved diagnostic tools and/or targeted treatments for Endometriosis.
