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Galectin-3 Accelerates the Progression of Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma via a Wnt/β-catenin-Dependent Pathway

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Pathology & Oncology Research

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinicopathological significance and mechanism of action of galectin-3 in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Here, the expression of galectin-3 was quantified in OTSCC (n = 68) and paired OTSCC and normal surrounding tissues (n = 10) using immunohistochemical staining. Tca8113 OTSCC cells were transfected with a plasmid expressing galectin-3 cDNA or siRNA against galectin-3. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were measured using the MTT assay, Matrigel-coated Transwell migration assay and wound healing assay. The effect of galectin-3 on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated using a plasmid expressing the Wnt antagonist dickkopf 1 (DKK1) and Western blotting. Galectin-3 was expressed at significantly higher levels in OTSCC than the normal adjacent tissues; galectin-3 expression correlated strongly with pathological stage, pathological grade and lymph node invasion in OTSCC. Overexpression of galectin-3 promoted Tca8113 cell proliferation, migration and invasion, upregulated Wnt protein expression, activated β-catenin and induced the EMT; knockdown of galectin-3 had the opposite effects. Co-transfection of Tca8113 cells overexpressing galectin-3 with the Wnt antagonist DKK1 reduced the ability of galectin-3 to increase cell proliferation, migration and invasion, reduced upregulation of Wnt, inhibited β-catenin activation and abrogated the EMT, demonstrating that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway mediated the effects of galectin-3. Galectin-3 plays an important role in the progression of OTSCC via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81172568), and the Science and Technology Program Fund of Guangdong Province (No. 303041017005). There were no conflicts of interest or financial interests related to the material in the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Dong Road, Guangzhou, 510060, People’s Republic of China

    Li-Ping Wang, Shu-Wei Chen, Huan Li & Ming Song

  2. Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

    Shi-Min Zhuang

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  1. Li-Ping Wang
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  2. Shu-Wei Chen
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  3. Shi-Min Zhuang
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  4. Huan Li
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Correspondence to Ming Song.

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Li-Ping Wang and Shu-Wei Chen contributed equally to this work.

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Wang, LP., Chen, SW., Zhuang, SM. et al. Galectin-3 Accelerates the Progression of Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma via a Wnt/β-catenin-Dependent Pathway. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 19, 461–474 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12253-013-9603-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12253-013-9603-7

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