title: Increased expression of galectin-1 is associated with human oral squamous cell carcinoma development.
abstract: Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a newly found immunoregulatory carbohydrate-binding protein in cancer biology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Gal-1 on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and RT-PCR were carried out in 62 primary OSCC, 38 oral leukoplakia (OPL) tissues to detect the Gal-1 expression in both protein and mRNA levels. Ten normal oral mucosa (NOM) tissues were used as control. Gal-1 protein was significantly overexpressed in OSCC cancer cells and OPL prickle cells compared to NOM (P<0.05). In accordance with Gal-1 protein, Gal-1 mRNA was also up-regulated in OSCC tissues and OPL tissues. Furthermore, both the Gal-1 protein and mRNA in OSCC tissues were higher than in OPL tissues (P<0.05). Our data supports the important roles of Gal-1 in OSCC development and suggests that Gal-1 upregulation in the OSCC and OPL tissues might be a predictor of early oral carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei 430022, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Ji-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Han-Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger