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Human galectin-3 immunoexpression in thyroid follicular adenomas with cell atypia

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Abstract

Human galectin-3 (hgal-3) is a β-galactoside binding protein involved in a number of physiological and pathological processes. Increasing hgal-3 immunoexpression has been reported in several human tumors, including thyroid carcinomas, but not in benign thyroid lesions. We analyzed the immunolocalization of hgal-3 in cell compartments of benign and malignant thyroid lesions. Hgal-3 immunoperoxidase reaction was carried out on 133 thyroid tissue samples obtained from 113 patients; 20 of these were normal (NT), 85 were benign thyroid lesions [20 colloid nodules (CN), 21 nodular hyperplasias (NH), 7 focal lymphocytic thyroiditis (FLT), 15 Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), 22 follicular adenomas (FA)], 25 differentiated carcinomas [15 papillary carcinomas (PC), 6 follicular carcinomas (FC) and 4 Hürthle cell carcinomas (HC)] and 3 anaplastic carcinomas (AC). Among the malignant thyroid lesions, hgal-3 was detected in 12/15 (80%) PC, 3/4 (75%) HC and in 4/6 (66.6%) FC, but in none of the 3 AC. Conversely, hgal-3 immunoexpression was absent in NT and in all benign thyroid lesions, but 1/15 HT and 10/22 (45.4%) FA. In the latter, hgal-3 was mostly expressed in microfollicular areas and in five of the six atypical FA. Hgal-3 cytoplasmic-perinuclear immunolocalization was observed in the majority of thyroid carcinomas and in more than half of the FA, theoretically suggesting an involvement of this protein in thyroid tumorigenesis throughout an antiapoptotic activity. Moreover, hgal-3 expression in FA might anticipate the likelihood of evolution of these benign lesions towards malignancy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical-Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France

    C. Nucera (Chair of Endocrinology), M. A. Violi (Chair of Endocrinology), M. Moleti (Chair of Endocrinology), F. Trimarchi (Chair of Endocrinology) & F. Vermiglio MD

  2. Division of Histology, Department of Human Biomorphology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France

    E. Mazzon & D. Puzzolo

  3. Department of Pathology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France

    B. Caillou

  4. Division of Oncology, Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    C. Priolo & V. Cavallari

  5. Division of Endocrine Surgery, Department of General Surgery, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    G. Sturniolo

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  1. C. Nucera
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  2. E. Mazzon
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  3. B. Caillou
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  4. M. A. Violi
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  11. F. Vermiglio MD
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Correspondence to F. Vermiglio MD.

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Nucera, C., Mazzon, E., Caillou, B. et al. Human galectin-3 immunoexpression in thyroid follicular adenomas with cell atypia. J Endocrinol Invest 28, 106–112 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345351

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