title: Gene-expression signature of adhesion/growth-regulatory tissue lectins (galectins) in transitional cell cancer and its prognostic relevance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lectins, and especially galectins, appear to be important in malignancy-associated processes. The aim was to analyse comprehensively the presence of galectins in urothelial tumours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Non-cross-reactive antibodies against seven family members from the three subgroups (prototype: galectin-1, -2 and -7; chimera type: galectin-3; tandem-repeat type: galectin-4, -8 and -9) were used. Gene expression was monitored in specimens of normal urothelium, fresh tumour tissue and cell lines by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The presence and evidence of tumour-associated up-regulation were shown for galectin-1 and -3. This was less clear-cut for galectin-4 and -8. Galectin-7 was expressed in all cell lines; galectin-2 and -9 were detected at comparatively low levels. Galectin-2, -3 and -8 up-regulation was observed in superficial tumours, but not in muscle-invasive tumours (P < 0.05). Immunoreactivity correlated with tumour grading for galectin-1, -2 and -8, and disease-dependent mortality correlated with galectin-2 and -8 expression. Binding sites were visualized using labelled galectins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate a complex expression pattern of the galectin network in urothelial carcinomas. Galectin-1, -2, -3 and -8 are both potential disease markers and also possible targets for bladder cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Academic Medic Centrum, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. s.i.langbein@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langbein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brade
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Badawi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatzinger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaltner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lensch
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Specht
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brinck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alken
authors.forename: H-J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gabius
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D037161:Galectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D019459:Urothelium / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins