Galectin-3 upregulation during tumor progression in head and neck cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the level of expression of galectin-3 in relation to neoplastic progression of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (HSCCs) and laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCCs).


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Using a polyclonal antibody against galectin-3 without cross-reactivity to other galectins, we analyzed the presence of galectin-3 using quantitative immunohistochemistry in i) a series of 79 HSCCs compared with 16 normal epithelia, 20 low-grade dysplasia (Low_D) and 25 high-grade dysplasia (High_D) and in ii) a series of 58 LSCCs compared with 34 normal epithelia, 12 Low_D, and 18 High_D. In parallel, galectin-3 expression was studied using Western blotting on a series of 19 fresh biopsies from patients presenting a head and neck tumor.


RESULTS
Western blotting excluded a notable degree of proteolytic truncation of galectin-3 in situ. Immunohistochemical galectin-3 positivity expressed as percentage of cells was significantly higher in LSCCs and HSCCs than in Low_D (P = .01) or High_D (P = .0002), respectively. Increased expression of galectin-3 in HSCCs was accompanied by a shift from the cytoplasmic compartment to the nucleus (P = .007). In intertumor-type comparison, laryngeal carcinomas presented nuclear presence of galectin-3 only rarely (1 of 58 cases in laryngeal cancer vs. 27 of 79 cases in hypopharyngeal cancer, P = .00006) and a comparatively low labeling index (P < 10(-6)).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data reveal an association between level of presence of galectin-3 and neoplastic progression of HSCCs and LSCCs.
Saussez
Sven
S
Laboratory of Anatomy, University of Mons-Hainaut, Mons, Belgium. sven.saussez@umh.ac.be
Decaestecker
Christine
C
Mahillon
Virginie
V
Cludts
Stéphanie
S
Capouillez
Aurélie
A
Chevalier
Dominique
D
Vet
Herbert Kaltner
HK
André
Sabine
S
Toubeau
Gérard
G
Leroy
Xavier
X
Gabius
Hans-Joachim
HJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037502:Galectin 3