title: Increased expression and altered intracellular distribution of adhesion/growth-regulatory lectins galectins-1 and -7 during tumour progression in hypopharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the level of expression of the pleiotropic regulators galectins-1 and -7 in relation to neoplastic progression of hypopharyngeal (HSCCs) and laryngeal (LSCCs) squamous cell carcinomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of galectins-1 and -7 was investigated using quantitative immunohistochemistry in (i) a series of 78 HSCCs by comparison with 17 normal epithelia (N_E), 26 low-grade dysplasia (low_D) and 27 high-grade dysplasia (high_D) and (ii) a series of 56 LSCCs by comparison with 50 N_E, 23 low_D and 29 high_D. Galectin-1 positivity expressed as a percentage of cells was significantly higher in carcinomas (HSCCs and LSCCs) than in N_E, low_D or high_D (P < 10(-6)). Galectin-7 expression was elevated in low_D (P = 0.0004) compared with N_E and in carcinomas (HSCC) compared with high_D (P = 0.0002). Tumour progression from high_D to carcinomas was associated with a shift of galectin-1 localization from the nucleus towards the cytoplasm. Increased expression of galectin-7 in dysplasias was accompanied by a shift from the cytoplasmic compartment (N_E) to the nucleus (low_D and high_D).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data reveal an association between the level of presence of galectins-1 and -7 and neoplastic progression of HSCCs and LSCCs. Moreover, inverse shifts between nuclear and cytoplasmic positivity intimating functional divergence were detected.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Mons-Hainaut, Mons, Belgium. sven.saussez@umh.ac.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saussez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Decaestecker
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lorfevre
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mortuaire
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaltner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toubeau
authors.forename: H-J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gabius
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Leroy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D037161:Galectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037483:Galectin 1; D037161:Galectins; C092525:LGALS7 protein, human