title: The Expression and Cellular Localization of Galectin-1 and Galectin-3 in the Fallopian Tube Are Altered in Women with Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy.
abstract: Galectin-1 and galectin-3 are abundantly expressed at implantation sites in the uterus, suggesting their involvement in the establishment of pregnancy. In this study, we examined the expression and localization of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in fallopian tubes from nonpregnant women, and in those presenting with tubal ectopic pregnancy. There was no significant difference in the expression of either galectin-1 (LGALS1) or galectin-3 (LGALS3) transcripts in the fallopian tube across the menstrual cycle. Their expressions in the fallopian tube were inversely correlated to each other (r = -0.5134, p < 0.0001) and differentially localized. Galectin-1 protein was abundant in the stroma of nonpregnant fallopian tubes, whereas galectin-3 was mainly localized to the epithelium, notably to the cilia of ciliated cells and the apical cytoplasm of secretory cells. In ectopic pregnancies, LGALS3 expression was significantly reduced (p < 0.0001), but LGALS1 expression did not change when compared to nonpregnant fallopian tubes collected during the mid-secretory phase. The percentage of fallopian tube epithelial cells expressing galectin-3 in cilia tended to be reduced (p = 0.0685), with an accompanying loss of a normal ciliary structure, while nuclear galectin-3 increased (p < 0.05) in ectopic pregnancies. Epithelial immunostaining for galectin-1 tended to be elevated in fallopian tubes from women with ectopic pregnancy. Coculture of human trophoblast origin SW71 cells significantly increased LGALS1 expression in human fallopian tube epithelial OE-E6/E7 cells, suggesting that trophoblast-derived products regulate LGALS1 expression in the oviductal epithelium. These findings imply a differential contribution of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in the homeostasis of human fallopian tubes and in the pathophysiology of ectopic pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology and Cytology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nio-Kobayashi
authors.forename: Hazirah B Z
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Abidin
authors.forename: Jeremy K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwanaga
authors.forename: Andrew W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Horne
authors.forename: W Colin
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002460:Cell Line; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011274:Pregnancy, Tubal / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D037502:Galectin 3