Decreased expression of galectin-3 is associated with metastatic potential of liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma.
Galectin-3, a beta-galactoside-binding lectin, is a multifunctional protein implicated in a variety of biological functions, including tumour cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, cancer progression and metastasis. The present study was performed to clarify the impact of galectin-3 expression on patients with liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma. Galectin-3 expression was examined immunohistochemically in 53 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, who had undergone surgery without pre-operative therapy. All bile duct epithelium expressed galectin-3 with different intensities, according to the different histological subtypes. The poorly-differentiated type expressed galectin-3 less intensely than the papillary, well- to moderately-differentiated types (P=0.012). We observed the association of low galectin-3 expression with lymphatic invasion (P=0.002). Suppression of galectin-3 expression in two human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines using siRNA targeted to galectin-3 significantly increased cell migration and invasion without alterations in cell proliferation. Regulation of galectin-3 expression may therefore be an alternative therapeutic approach to control metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma.
Junking
Mutita
M
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, 123 Mitraparb Road, Muang, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
Wongkham
Chaisiri
C
Sripa
Banchob
B
Sawanyawisuth
Kanlayanee
K
Araki
Norie
N
Wongkham
Sopit
S
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000469:parasitology; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D005210:Fasciola hepatica; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014162:Transfection
D000199:Actins; D037502:Galectin 3; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering