Galectin-3 expression in non-small cell lung carcinoma.
Galectins are a family of animal beta-galactoside-binding lectins involved in malignant transformation and progression. The present study evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of galectin-3 in a consecutive series of 81 radically resected non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs). The main pattern of galectin-3 expression was cytoplasmic (median percentage of cells with cytoplasmic positivity: 80.0%). The median percentage of tumor cells with nuclear and cytoplasmic co-expression of galectin-3 was 3.5%. No cases with exclusive nuclear immunostaining were observed. Functional interaction between galectin-3 and the thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) was previously demonstrated by cotransfection experiments. In the present study, concomitant expression of nuclear galectin-3 and TTF-1 was independently associated with a worse clinical outcome (HR 2.0; P = 0.01).
Clinical Oncology, University of Udine, Italy. fabio.puglisi@med.uniud.it
Fabio
F
Puglisi
Alessandro Marco
AM
Minisini
Fabio
F
Barbone
Donatella
D
Intersimone
Giuseppe
G
Aprile
Cinzia
C
Puppin
Giuseppe
G
Damante
Igor
I
Paron
Gianluca
G
Tell
Andrea
A
Piga
Carla
C
Di Loreto
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D037502:Galectin 3; D037102:Lectins; C000614412:NKX2-1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D000074482:Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors