title: Galectin-3 expression is correlated with abnormal prion protein accumulation in murine scrapie.
abstract: To investigate the involvement of galectin-3 in the process of neurodegeneration in prion diseases, the expression and cellular localization of galectin-3 in the brain were studied in scrapie, a mouse model of prion disease. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analyses showed that the expression of galectin-3 protein and mRNA was induced in scrapie-affected brains, particularly at the time when the abnormal prion protein PrP(Sc) began to accumulate in the brains. Immunohistochemically, immunostaining for galectin-3 was found mainly in B4-isolectin-positive cells (presumably activated microglia/macrophages), but not in astrocytes. Galectin-3 immunoreactivity was localized mainly in areas of PrP(Sc) accumulation and neuronal death in scrapie-infected brains. These findings suggest that the expression of galectin-3 by activated microglia/macrophages in prion disease correlates with abnormal prion protein accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University Medical Center, Anyang, Kyonggi-do 431-060, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Kwang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yeo-Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Joon-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hong-Gu
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Seungjoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Kyoung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Richard I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Carp
authors.forename: Yong-Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Taekyun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D037121:Plant Lectins; D018620:PrPSc Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012608:Scrapie / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037502:Galectin 3; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; C045475:Griffonia simplicifolia lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D018620:PrPSc Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger