Cytoplasmic and serum galectin-3 in diagnosis of thyroid malignancies.
In order to address whether galectin-3 in the sera and fine needle aspirates serve as a diagnostic marker distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules, we developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We quantified galectin-3 in fine needle aspirates from a series of 118 patients with thyroid nodules and serum galectin-3 from another series of 46 patients, which were compared with final histology after thyroidectomy. Relative galectin-3 value (ng/mg), defined as galectin-3 concentration (ng/ml) divided by total protein concentration (mg/ml) in fine needle aspirates, was significantly higher in papillary carcinoma than in the other thyroid entities. There was no significant difference in serum galectin-3 level among patients with thyroid nodules and healthy individuals. Accordingly, relative galectin-3 value allows a definitive diagnosis of papillary carcinoma independent of cellular morphology, whereas serum galectin-3 does not serve as a marker for papillary carcinoma.
Inohara
Hidenori
H
Department of Otolaryngology, Osaka University School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. hinohara@ent.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Segawa
Tatsuya
T
Miyauchi
Akira
A
Yoshii
Tadashi
T
Nakahara
Susumu
S
Raz
Avraham
A
Maeda
Masahiro
M
Miyoshi
Eiji
E
Kinoshita
Noriaki
N
Yoshida
Hiroshi
H
Furukawa
Masashi
M
Takenaka
Yukinori
Y
Takamura
Yuki
Y
Ito
Yasuhiro
Y
Taniguchi
Naoyuki
N
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037502:Galectin 3