OBJECTIVETo study the expressive levels of galectin-3(gal-3) and Sambucus nigra agglutinin(SNA) and their clinicopathological significance in the benign and malignant lesions of stomach.

METHODSEnVision immunohistochemistry for assaying gal-3 expressive level and ABC cytochemistry for determining SNA expressive level were used in conventional paraffin-embedded sections from specimens of gastric cancer(n=49), peritumoral tissues(n=20), metastatic foci of lymph nodes(n=36), and different types of benign lesions(n=80).

RESULTSThe positive rates of gal-3 and SNA were significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than those in peritumoral tissues and different types of benign lesions(P<0.05, P<0.01). The positive cases of gal-3 and/or SNA in peritumoral tissues and benign lesions showed mild- to severe-atypical hyperplasia of mucous epithelial cells. No difference was found between the primary foci and metastatic foci in gal-3 and SNA expressions(P>0.05). The positive rates of gal-3 and SNA were significantly lower in histologic grade II(, infiltrating depth T1,T2 and no-metastasis of regional lymph node than those in histologic grade III(,IIII(, infiltrating depth T3,T4 and metastasis of lymph node in gastric cancer(P<0.05). The positive rates of gal-3 and SNA were higher in lymphnode metastatic site N1 and no-metastasis of distant organs than those in lymphnode metastatic site N2,N3 and metastasis of distant organs, but no significant difference was found(P>0.05). The consistency was found between the expression of gal-3 and SNA in gastric cancer tissues(chi(2)=6.59,P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expressive levels of gal-3 and SNA may be important molecular markers of lectins for reflecting the carcinogenesis, progression and biological behaviors in gastric cancer.