title: Immunohistochemical fingerprinting of the network of seven adhesion/growth-regulatory lectins in human skin and detection of distinct tumour-associated alterations.
abstract: Glycans of natural glycoconjugates are considered as a source of biological information relevant to cell adhesion or growth. Sugar-based messages are decoded and translated into responses by endogenous lectins. This mechanism assigns a functional dimension to tumour-associated changes of glycosylation. Consequently, it calls for mapping the lectin presence in tumours. Such an analysis has so far commonly been performed with the scope to determine expression of a few distinct proteins, e.g. from the effector family of galectins with focus on galectins-1 and -3. Due to the emerging evidence for functional divergence among galectins it is timely to address the challenge to evaluate their presence beyond these few family members. Having raised a panel of non-cross- -reactive antibodies against seven human galectins covering all three subfamilies, we de scribe their expression profiles in human skin. Comparison of normal and malignant tissues enabled us to define galectin-type-dependent alterations, arguing in favour of distinct functionalities. It is concluded that comprehensive monitoring performed to define the different aspects of the galectin network, as documented in this pilot study, is advisable for future histopathologic studies aimed at delineating clinical correlations.
authors.affiliation: Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine: Institute of Anatomy, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smetana
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lacina
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Plzáková
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stork
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaltner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russwurm
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lensch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: H-J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gabius
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005453:Fluorescence; D005629:Frozen Sections; D037161:Galectins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D037102:Lectins