A distinctive role for galectin-7 in cancer ?
The galectins are a family of evolutionay-conserved carbohydrate-binding proteins. They are distributed widely in all living organisms and have been implicated in many essential functions including development, differentiation, cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix interaction, growth regulation, apoptosis. Several members of the galectin family have also been shown to be involved in cancer progression and metastasis. In the case of galectin-7, several studies have reported alterations in its expression pattern during cancer progression. In a variety of tumors, its expression can range from being completely down-regulated to highly up-regulated. Accordingly, its precise role in this field is still debated. The evidence shows that galectin-7 may promote or inhibit cancer development. In this article, we review the data concerning expression and roles of galectin-7 in cancer and propose a comprehensive view of its contribution during cancer progression.
INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Universite du Quebec, 531 Blvd des Prairies, Laval, Quebec, Canada, H7V 1B7. yves.st-pierre@iaf.inrs.ca
Yves
Y
St-Pierre
Carole G
CG
Campion
Andree-Anne
AA
Grosset
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037161:Galectins; C092525:LGALS7 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins