title: Differential expression of galectin 3 and galectin 1 in colorectal cancer progression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Galectins are beta-galactoside-binding proteins possibly involved in tumor progression. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of galectin 3 and galectin 1 expression and involvement in colorectal cancer progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Galectin 3 expression was examined immunohistochemically in 39 samples of normal mucosae, 25 adenomas, 87 carcinomas, and 39 lymph node metastases. Galectin 1 was analyzed in 25 samples of mucosae, 15 adenomas, 25 carcinomas, and 11 metastases. Western blot analysis was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All normal mucosae showed strong nuclear galectin 3 expression, which was down-regulated in the neoplastic progression, because only 60% of adenomas, 48% of carcinomas, and 44% of metastases were strongly positive (P < 0.0001). Cytoplasmic expression was down-regulated in adenomas (16%) but increased again in carcinomas (64%) (P < 0.0001). Galectin 1 expression was mainly detected in stromal cells and correlated with tumor progression from normal mucosae to adenomas and carcinomas (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Galectin 3 expression is down-regulated in the initial stages of neoplastic progression, whereas a dissociated cytoplasmic expression increases in later phases of tumor progression. Galectin 1 in colorectal mucosa is predominantly a stromal product whose overexpression is associated with the neoplastic progression of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sanjuán
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castells
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castronovo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van den Brule
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cardesa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Campo
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D037483:Galectin 1; D037502:Galectin 3; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D037483:Galectin 1; D037502:Galectin 3; D006388:Hemagglutinins