title: Galectin-3 mediates nuclear beta-catenin accumulation and Wnt signaling in human colon cancer cells by regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta activity.
abstract: Wnt/beta-catenin signaling plays an essential role in colon carcinogenesis. Galectin-3, a beta-galactoside-binding protein, has been implicated in Wnt signaling, but the precise mechanisms by which galectin-3 modulates the Wnt pathway are unknown. In the present study, we determined the effects of galectin-3 on the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in colon cancer cells, as well as the mechanisms involved. Galectin-3 levels were manipulated in human colon cancer cells by stable transfection of galectin-3 antisense, short hairpin RNA, or full-length galectin-3 cDNA, and effects on beta-catenin levels, subcellular distribution, and Wnt signaling were determined. Galectin-3 levels correlated with beta-catenin levels in a variety of colon cancer cell lines. Down-regulation of galectin-3 resulted in decreased beta-catenin protein levels but no change in beta-catenin mRNA levels, suggesting that galectin-3 modulates beta-catenin by another mechanism. Reduction of galectin-3 led to reduced nuclear beta-catenin with a concomitant decrease in TCF4 transcriptional activity and expression of its target genes. Conversely, transfection of galectin-3 cDNA into colon cancer cells increased beta-catenin expression and TCF4 transcriptional activity. Down-regulation of galectin-3 resulted in AKT and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) dephosphorylation and increased GSK activity, increasing beta-catenin phosphorylation and degradation. Ly294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and dominant-negative AKT, suppressed TCF4 transcriptional activity induced by galectin-3 whereas LiCl, a GSK-3beta inhibitor, increased TCF4 activity, mimicking the effects of galectin-3. These results suggest that galectin-3 mediates Wnt signaling, at least in part, by regulating GSK-3beta phosphorylation and activity via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway, and, thus, the degradation of beta-catenin in colon cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030-4009, USA.
authors.forename: Shumei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Nachman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mazurek
authors.forename: Chunming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yunjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Qing Qing
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Kaifeng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mien-Chie
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bresalier
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D008156:Luciferases; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3