title: Galectin-1 modulates human melanoma cell adhesion to laminin.
abstract: Galectins constitute a gene family of beta-galactoside-specific lectins that show high homology in their carbohydrate-binding site. They have been postulated to be involved in many biological events, but their specific functions are not yet well defined. Galectin-1 is a laminin binding protein that recognizes poly-N-acetyllactosamine chains on this major basement membrane glycoprotein. In this study, we analyzed the possibility that galectin-1 could modulate interactions between human melanoma cells and laminin. We demonstrated that A375 and A2058 cell lines express galectin-1 both intracellularly and on the cell surface. In an in vitro assay, recombinant galectin-1 increased melanoma cell attachment to laminin in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was abolished by lactose. Anti-galectin-1 inhibited adhesion of melanoma cells to laminin in a dose-dependent fashion. However, neither galectin-1 nor anti-galectin-1 antibody affected melanoma cell spreading on laminin in vitro. These data indicate that galectin-1 might participate in melanoma cell adhesion to laminin and therefore could be a modulator of invasion and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Metastasis Research Laboratory, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: van den Brûle
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buicu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baldet
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sobel
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marschal
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castronovo
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D037483:Galectin 1; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism*; D037102:Lectins; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D037483:Galectin 1; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D007797:Laminin; D037102:Lectins