title: Differential stimulation of VEGF-C production by adhesion/growth-regulatory galectins and plant lectins in human breast cancer cells.
abstract: The present study tested the hypothesis that the production of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), a key lymphangiogenic factor, by human breast cancer cells can be stimulated by human lectins, using plant lectins as controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of human galectins and five plant lectins reacting with distinct determinants of N- and O-glycans on the accumulation of VEGF-C in serum-free cell culture media of human breast cancer cells endowed with high (MDA-MB-231) and low (MCF7, T-47D, and SK-BR-3) VEGF-C-producing abilities were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All tested lectins stimulated VEGF-C production by MDA-MB-231 cells, albeit with different potency. Concanavalin A, but not galectins, was also able to stimulate VEGF-C production by low VEGF-C-producing cell lines MCF7 and T-47D. Both VEGF-C mRNA and protein were strongly up-regulated in SK-BR-3 cells by concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin, but not jacalin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differential response of breast cancer cell lines separated by the endogenous level of VEGF-C production suggests that galectins may contribute to tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis in a cell-specific manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street North, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada. atimoshe@uwo.ca
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Timoshenko
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaltner
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gabius
authors.forename: Peeyush K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lala
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D037161:Galectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C