title: Activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway during oral carcinogenesis process is not influenced by the absence of galectin-3 in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Galectin-3 has been associated with activated Wnt pathway, translocating beta-catenin into the nucleus. However, it is still unknown whether this lectin drives the Wnt signaling activation in lesions from galectin-3-deficient (Gal3⁻/⁻) mice. The purpose was to study beta-catenin expression in tongue lesions from Gal3⁻/⁻ and wild-type (Gal3⁺/⁺) mice and the status of Wnt signaling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty Gal3⁻/⁻ and Gal3⁺/⁺ male mice were challenged with 4-nitroquinolin-1-oxide and killed at week 16 and 32. Tongues were processed and stained with H&E to detect dysplasias and carcinomas. An imunohistochemical assay was performed to evaluate beta-catenin expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carcinomas were more evident in Gal3⁺/⁺ than Gal3⁻/⁻ mice (55.5% vs. 28.5%, respectively; p>0.05). Elevated expression of non-membranous beta-catenin was observed in dysplasias and carcinomas from both groups (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Absence of galectin-3 does not interfere in the pattern of beta-catenin expression and therefore in the mediation of the Wnt signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Uberlândia Federal University, Uberlândia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Moreira de Almeida
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sant'ana
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chammas
authors.forename: Fu-Tong
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Suely
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nonogaki
authors.forename: Sérgio Vitorino
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Adriano Mota
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Loyola
authors.forename: Paulo Rogério
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: de Faria
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin