title: Biphasic modulation of cell growth by recombinant human galectin-1.
abstract: Human soluble galactose-binding lectin (galectin-1) has been expressed as an Escherichia coli fusion protein, following the amplification by polymerase chain reaction of cDNA prepared from a human osteosarcoma cell line. The fusion protein is a functional beta-galactoside-binding lectin, as is the recombinant galectin when purified from the cleaved fusion protein. The recombinant galectin has a biphasic effect on cell proliferation. Unlike the fusion protein, it functions as a human cell growth inhibitor, confirming earlier findings with natural human galectin-1, though it is less effective than the natural galectin. This reaction is not significantly inhibited by lactose, and is thus largely independent of the beta-galactoside-binding site. At lower concentrations, recombinant galectin-1 is mitogenic, this activity being susceptible to inhibition by lactose, and thus attributable to the beta-galactoside-binding ability of the protein. Some tumour cells are susceptible to the growth-inhibitory effect, and the galectin-1 gene is expressed in both normal and tumour cells.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Weinberg
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D037483:Galectin 1; D015870:Gene Expression; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D006384:Hemagglutination / Q000187:drug effects; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D037483:Galectin 1; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D037102:Lectins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D013917:Thrombin