Expression of galectin-3 in primary and metastatic melanoma: immunohistochemical studies on human lesions and nude mice xenograft tumors.
Galectins are a large family of proteins which bind galactoside-containing glycans. Their role in cancer seems to be important since members of the family may mediate cell adhesion and modulate cell growth. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is expressed in the nucleus, in the cytoplasm and on the cell surface, and can also be secreted into the extracellular matrix. A series of experimental and clinical data have been reported which indicate that Gal-3 may play a putative role in carcinogenesis, cancer progression and the process of metastasis. To study the possible correlation between Gal-3 expression and malignant potential in primary melanoma lesions, we conducted an immunohistochemical study with monoclonal anti-Gal-3 antibody in a series of primary and metastatic melanoma lesions as well as benign skin pigmented lesions. We also developed a xenograft melanoma model in nude mice with two melanoma cell lines (ATCC G-361 and ATCC HT-144) and assessed staining with the Gal-3 antibody in the xenografts and the metastases. The expression of anti-Gal-3 staining was determined semiquantitatively. The expression of Gal-3 was higher in thin primary melanoma lesions than in benign pigmented skin lesions or metastases and seemed to correlate inversely with the aggressiveness as estimated by the Breslow index which is recognized as the main prognostic factor in melanoma. We propose Gal-3 expression in melanoma as a diagnostic and/or a prognostic parameter and suggest that further studies of such a role for Gal-3 are warranted.
Vereecken
Pierre
P
Department of Dermatology, Erasme University Hospital, 808 Lennikstreet, 1070, Brussels, Belgium. vereecken.pierre@belgacom.net
Debray
Charles
C
Petein
Michel
M
Awada
Ahmad
A
Lalmand
Marie-Claude
MC
Laporte
Marianne
M
Van Den Heule
Bernard
B
Verhest
Alain
A
Pochet
Roland
R
Heenen
Michel
M
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009506:Nevus / Q000378:metabolism; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D037502:Galectin 3