title: Myenteric denervation downregulates galectin-1 and -3 expression in gastric carcinogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluated the galectin-1 and -3 expression during N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced gastric carcinogenesis in denervated rat stomachs using benzalkonium chloride.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four experimental situations were evaluated: nondenervated and denervated stomachs without lesions and nondenervated and denervated stomachs with lesions. Sections of the pyloric region were stained with toluidine blue and incubated with mouse monoclonal anti-Gal-1 and rabbit polyclonal anti-Gal-3 for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MNNG caused the development of benign and malignant epithelial lesions, which were more pronounced in nondenervated stomachs with lesions and accompanied by inflammatory cell-enriched stroma. By immunostaining, the epithelial cells, blood vessels, muscle layer, and myenteric plexus were Gal-1 and -3 positive. Gal-3 was also detected in the gastric crypts, mucus secretion, and fibroblasts of pyloric fragments. Development of lesions in denervated stomachs was associated with a significant decrease in Gal-1 and -3 expression in epithelial cells, mast cells, and neutrophil cytoplasm, compared with that of nondenervated stomach lesions (P < 0.01; P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that myenteric denervation downregulates endogenous Gal-1 and -3 expression, which might inhibit tumor development in this experimental model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, São José do Rio Preto School of Medicine, FAMERP, Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416, São José do Rio Preto, 15090-000 São Paulo, Brazil. cassia.estofolete@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Cássia F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Estofolete
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zucoloto
authors.forename: Sonia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Oliani
authors.forename: Ana Cláudia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Polli-Lopes
authors.forename: Cristiane D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003714:Denervation; D015536:Down-Regulation; D017615:Enteric Nervous System; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D008297:Male; D008769:Methylnitronitrosoguanidine / Q000633:toxicity; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D037502:Galectin 3; D008769:Methylnitronitrosoguanidine