[Expression of galectin 3 and Sambucus nigra agglutinin and their clinicopathological significance in benign and malignant lesions of stomach].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expressive levels of galectin-3(gal-3) and Sambucus nigra agglutinin(SNA) and their clinicopathological significance in the benign and malignant lesions of stomach.


METHODS
EnVision immunohistochemistry for assaying gal-3 expressive level and ABC cytochemistry for determining SNA expressive level were used in conventional paraffin-embedded sections from specimens of gastric cancer(n=49), peritumoral tissues(n=20), metastatic foci of lymph nodes(n=36), and different types of benign lesions(n=80).


RESULTS
The positive rates of gal-3 and SNA were significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than those in peritumoral tissues and different types of benign lesions(P<0.05, P<0.01). The positive cases of gal-3 and/or SNA in peritumoral tissues and benign lesions showed mild- to severe-atypical hyperplasia of mucous epithelial cells. No difference was found between the primary foci and metastatic foci in gal-3 and SNA expressions(P>0.05). The positive rates of gal-3 and SNA were significantly lower in histologic grade II(, infiltrating depth T1,T2 and no-metastasis of regional lymph node than those in histologic grade III(,IIII(, infiltrating depth T3,T4 and metastasis of lymph node in gastric cancer(P<0.05). The positive rates of gal-3 and SNA were higher in lymphnode metastatic site N1 and no-metastasis of distant organs than those in lymphnode metastatic site N2,N3 and metastasis of distant organs, but no significant difference was found(P>0.05). The consistency was found between the expression of gal-3 and SNA in gastric cancer tissues(chi(2)=6.59,P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The expressive levels of gal-3 and SNA may be important molecular markers of lectins for reflecting the carcinogenesis, progression and biological behaviors in gastric cancer.
Department of Geriatric Surgery, Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Jia-Peng
JP
Zhou
Zhu-Lin
ZL
Yang
Dong-Cai
DC
Liu
Jian-Ping
JP
Zhou
D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011127:Polyps / Q000473:pathology; D054788:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
D037502:Galectin 3; D037121:Plant Lectins; C050600:Sambucus nigra lectins; D054788:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins