Abstract
Galectin-3 plays important roles in cell adhesion, cell proliferation, apoptosis, neoplastic transformation, and metastasis. Galectin-3 expression has been evaluated in various malignant neoplasms to determine its effectiveness in differential diagnosis from benign lesions and its effects on carcinogenesis. There are few and somewhat controversial results regarding its changes through cancer progression in thyroid malignancies. We studied the presence of galectin-3 expression immunohistochemically and its relation with tumor invasiveness and lymph node metastasis in 89 cases of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. Galectin overexpression was less frequent in cases with lymph node metastases compared with cases without lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001). Metastatic foci in lymph nodes showed a lower degree of galectin-3 overexpression than their primary lesions (P = 0.001). Degree of galectin-3 overexpression was also lower in larger tumors (P = 0.009). Additionally, a decreased level of galectin-3 overexpression was observed at the invasive edges of the tumors (P = 0.001). Galectin-3 overexpression is more profound in early stages of papillary carcinoma, and its expression intensity decreases during tumor progression. This finding is consistent with roles for galectin-3 in cell adhesion to other tumor cells and the matrix.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wang JL, Werner EA, Laing JG, Patterson RJ. Nuclear and cytoplasmic localization of a lectin–ribonucleoprotein complex. Biochem Soc Trans 20(2):269–74, 1992.
Inohara H, Akahani S, Koths K, Raz A. Interactions between galectin-3 and Mac-2-binding protein mediate cell–cell adhesion. Cancer Res 56(19):4530–4, 1996.
Inohara H, Akahani S, Raz A. Galectin-3 stimulates cell proliferation. Exp Cell Res 245(2):294–302, 1998. doi:10.1006/excr.1998.4253.
Matarrese P, Fusco O, Tinari N, Natoli C, Liu FT, Semeraro ML, et al. Galectin-3 overexpression protects from apoptosis by improving cell adhesion properties. Int J Cancer 85(4):545–54, 2000. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0215(20000215)85:4<545::AID-IJC17>3.0.CO;2-N.
Yoshii T, Inohara H, Takenaka Y, Honjo Y, Akahani S, Nomura T, et al. Galectin-3 maintains the transformed phenotype of thyroid papillary carcinoma cells. Int J Oncol 18(4):787–92, 2001.
Nakamura M, Inufusa H, Adachi T, Aga M, Kurimoto M, Nakatani Y, et al. Involvement of galectin-3 expression in colorectal cancer progression and metastasis. Int J Oncol 15(1):143–8, 1999.
Krzeslak A, Lipinska A. Galectin-3 as a multifunctional protein. Cell Mol Biol Lett 9(2):305–28, 2004.
Prasad ML, Pellegata NS, Huang Y, Nagaraja HN, de la Chapelle A, Kloos RT. Galectin-3, fibronectin-1, CITED-1, HBME1 and cytokeratin-19 immunohistochemistry is useful for the differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors. Mod Pathol 18(1):48–57, 2005. doi:10.1038/modpathol.3800235.
Kovacs RB, Foldes J, Winkler G, Bodo M, Sapi Z. The investigation of galectin-3 in diseases of the thyroid gland. Eur J Endocrinol 149(5):449–53, 2003. doi:10.1530/eje.0.1490449.
DeLellis RA, Lloyd RV, Heitz PU, Eng C. Pathology and genetics of tumours of endocrine organs. Lyon: IARC, pp. 50–66, 2004.
Orlandi F, Saggiorato E, Pivano G, Puligheddu B, Termine A, Cappia S, et al. Galectin-3 is a presurgical marker of human thyroid carcinoma. Cancer Res 58(14):3015–20, 1998.
Prasad ML, Pellegata NS, Huang Y, Nagaraja HN, Chapelle Ade L, Kloos RT. Galectin-3, fibronectin-1, CITED-1, HBME1 and cytokeratin-19 immunohistochemistry is useful for the differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors. Mod Pathol 18(1):48–57, 2005. doi:10.1038/modpathol.3800235.
Torres-Cabala C, Bibbo M, Panizo-Santos A, Barazi H, Krutzsch H, Roberts DD, et al. Proteomic identification of new biomarkers and application in thyroid cytology. Acta Cytol 50(5):518–28, 2006.
Rossi ED, Raffaelli M, Mule’ A, Miraglia A, Lombardi CP, Vecchio FM, et al. Simultaneous immunohistochemical expression of HBME-1 and galectin-3 differentiates papillary carcinomas from hyperfunctioning lesions of the thyroid. Acta Cytol 50(5):518–28, 2006.
Castronovo V, Campo E, van den Brule FA, Claysmith AP, Cioce V, Liu FT, et al. Inverse modulation of steady-state messenger RNA levels of two non-integrin laminin-binding proteins in human colon carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 84(15):1161–9, 1992. doi:10.1093/jnci/84.15.1161.
Castronovo V, Van Den Brule FA, Jackers P, Clausse N, Liu FT, Gillet C, et al. Decreased expression of galectin-3 is associated with progression of human breast cancer. J Pathol 179(1):43–8, 1996. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096–9896(199605)179:1<43::AID-PATH541>3.0.CO;2-N.
Idikio H. Galectin-3 expression in human breast carcinoma: correlation with cancer histologic grade. Int J Oncol 12(6):1287–90, 1998.
Gordower L, Decaestecker C, Kacem Y, Lemmers A, Gusman J, Burchert M, et al. Galectin-3 and galectin-3-binding site expression in human adult astrocytic tumours and related angiogenesis. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 25(4):319–30, 1999. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2990.1999.00192.x.
Sanjuan X, Fernandez PL, Castells A, Castronovo V, van den Brule F, Liu FT, et al. Differential expression of galectin 3 and galectin 1 in colorectal cancer progression. Gastroenterology 113(6):1906–15, 1997. doi:10.1016/S0016-5085(97)70010-6.
Song YK, Billiar TR, Lee YJ. Role of galectin-3 in breast cancer metastasis: involvement of nitric oxide. Am J Pathol 160(3):1069–75, 2002.
Aratake Y, Nomura H, Kotani T, Marutsuka K, Kobayashi K, Kuma K, et al. Coexistent anaplastic and differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Am J Clin Pathol 125(3):399–406, 2006. doi:10.1309/LF3Q-1NQK-MT2N-9KNV.
Kawachi K, Matsushita Y, Yonezawa S, Nakano S, Shirao K, Natsugoe S, et al. Galectin-3 expression in various thyroid neoplasms and its possible role in metastasis formation. Hum Pathol 31(4):428–33, 2000. doi:10.1053/hp.2000.6534.
Cvejic DS, Savin SB, Petrovic IM, Paunovic IR, Tatic SB, Havelka MJ. Galectin-3 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma: relation to histomorphologic growth pattern, lymph node metastasis, extrathyroid invasion, and tumor size. Head Neck 27(12):1049–55, 2005. doi:10.1002/hed.20276.
Acknowledgment
No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article. We wish to thank Dr. Cumhur Kilincer for valuable suggestions and scientific guidance. We also wish to thank Metin Bedir and Mehmet Karadon for their laboratory efforts.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Türköz, H.K., Öksüz, H., Yurdakul, Z. et al. Galectin-3 Expression in Tumor Progression and Metastasis of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Endocr Pathol 19, 92–96 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-008-9033-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-008-9033-3