Malignant transformation of thyroid follicular cells by galectin-3.
Galectin-3, a beta-galactoside binding lectin, is highly expressed in thyroid carcinomas of follicular cell origin, whereas neither benign thyroid adenomas nor normal thyroid tissues express galectin-3. We previously showed that antisense inhibition of galectin-3 expression markedly reduced the malignant phenotype of thyroid papillary carcinoma cells. In the present study we transfected galectin-3 cDNA into TAD-2 normal thyroid follicular cells. Stable transfectants expressing galectin-3 acquired the phenotype of serum-independent growth, clonogenicity in soft agar, as well as loss of contact inhibition. We also compared the gene expression profile of the galectin-3 transfectants to that of the vehicle control, which revealed that a series of genes were differentially expressed between the two. They include proliferating cell nuclear antigen, replication factor C, and retinoblastoma genes that participate in G1-S transition. These results indicate the transformation of thyroid follicular cells by galectin-3 and possible involvement of galectin-3 in cell cycle.
Takenaka
Yukinori
Y
Department of Otolaryngology and Sensory Organ Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Inohara
Hidenori
H
Yoshii
Tadashi
T
Oshima
Kazuo
K
Nakahara
Susumu
S
Akahani
Shiro
S
Honjo
Yuichiro
Y
Yamamoto
Yoshifumi
Y
Raz
Avraham
A
Kubo
Takeshi
T
D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D003094:Collagen; D003260:Contact Inhibition; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004338:Drug Combinations; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010641:Phenotype; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000502:physiology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D014162:Transfection
D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004338:Drug Combinations; D037502:Galectin 3; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen