title: Galectin-3 expression in papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside binding protein, recently recognized as a promising molecular marker of thyroid malignancy. As reported in several studies, galectin-3 is highly expressed in papillary thyroid carcinoma, but its expression has not been investigated in papillary microcarcinoma, which is a variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using a monoclonal antibody to galectin-3 and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) immunohistochemical technique, we analysed galectin-3 expression in 63 cases of papillary microcarcinoma. The results showed immunohistochemical reactivity for galectin-3 in 51 (80.9%) cases. Intensity of staining varied from strong or moderate to weak. Galectin-3 localization was mostly cytoplasmic, but also membranous or nuclear in some cells. Immunohistochemical expression of galectin-3 was not found in 12 (19.1%) cases. Most galectin-3 negative microcarcinomas (10/12) were of the non-classical type, i.e. without papillary architecture. Neither the frequency nor the intensity of a positive reaction was related to tumour size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Galectin-3 gene is expressed at the protein level in most papillary microcarcinomas, although with slightly lower frequency than that reported for clinically evident papillary thyroid carcinoma. The presence of galectin-3 in clinically silent microcarcinomas may indicate that galectin-3 is not related to growth or aggressiveness of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas but rather plays some other role in thyroid tumour biology.
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy, INEP, University of Belgrade, Zumun, Belgrade, Serbia. dubravka@inep.co.yu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cvejic
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petrovic
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paunovic
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tatic
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krgovic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Havelka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3