Abstract: In the pathological changes of diabetic retinopathy (DR), chronic inflammation, vascular regeneration and leakage, and immune cell activation play important roles. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is the only chimeric member of the galectin family, proven to be associated with disease inflammation, cell adhesion, and chemotaxis. Gal-3 regulates the phenotype, phagocytic ability, and chemotaxis of immune cells such as microglia and macrophages in the retina, modulating the progression of inflammation in DR. It can also act on vascular endothelial cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells, and pericytes, affecting the blood-retinal barrier. Furthermore, Gal-3 has been confirmed as a disease marker and therapeutic target, serving as an important prognostic evaluation indicator. Currently, Gal-3 has demonstrated safety and efficacy as a therapeutic target in various systemic inflammatory and vascular diseases, and the use of Gal-3 inhibitors has provided a therapeutic approach, especially in alleviating pathological neovascularization in diabetic retinopathy. Research on Gal-3 is of great significance for understanding the pathogenesis of DR and exploring new treatment approaches. (Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2024, 48: 116-122)

Key words: galectin-3, diabetes retinopathy