[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.
Zhou
Jia-Peng
JP
Department of Geriatric Surgery, Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Yang
Zhu-Lin
ZL
Liu
Dong-Cai
DC
Zhou
Jian-Ping
JP
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