BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Existing data on the spatiotemporal expression patterns of a variety of galectins in murine atherosclerosis are limited. We investigated the expression levels of galectins, and their in vivo spatiotemporal expression patterns and statin responsiveness in the inflamed atherosclerotic plaques of apolipoprotein E (apoE)-/- mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Galectins expression patterns in aortic atherosclerotic plaques and serum galectin-3 levels were investigated in 26-week-old apoE-/- (n=6) and C57BL/6 mice (n=9). To investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in plaques, high-cholesterol diet-fed 26-week-old (n=12) and 36-week-old apoE-/- mice (n=6) were sacrificed and their aortas were examined for galectins' expression using immunoblot analysis and immunohistochemical stain. 36-week-old apoE-/- mice were treated with atorvastatin (n=3, 0.57 mg/kg/day) for the evaluation of its effect on aortic galectins' expression. RESULTS: Immunoblot analyses showed that galectin-1 and galectin-3 were the predominant galectins expressed in murine atherosclerosis. The serum galectin-3 level was significantly higher in apoE-/- mice (p<0.001). While galectin-1 was weakly expressed in both intimal plaques and the media of atherosclerotic aortas, galectin-3 was heavily and exclusively accumulated in intimal plaques. Galectin-3 distribution was colocalized with plaque macrophages' distribution (r=0.66). As the degree of plaque extent and inflammation increased, the intraplaque galectin-3 expression levels proportionally elevated (p<0.01 vs. baseline), whereas galectin-1 expression had not elevated (p=0.14 vs. baseline). Atorvastatin treatment markedly reduced intraplaque galectin-3 and macrophage signals (p<0.001 vs. baseline), whereas it failed to reduce galectin-1 expression in the aortas. CONCLUSION: Galectin-3 is the predominant gal and is colocalized with macrophages within atherosclerotic plaques. Intraplaque galectin-3 expression reflects the degree of plaque inflammation.
Animals ; Aorta ; Apolipoproteins ; Atherosclerosis ; Galectin 1 ; Galectin 3 ; Galectins ; Heptanoic Acids ; Inflammation ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Pyrroles ; Atorvastatin Calcium

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigate the expression of markers of angiogenesis and microvessel density (MVD) in cases of microcystic, elongated and fragmented (MELF) pattern, with its prognostic role in the survival of endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas (EA) patients. METHODS: In this study, 100 cases of EA, 49 cases with MELF pattern and 51 without, were immunohistochemically stained for galectin-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and MVD. Morphometry and statistical (univariate and multivariate) analyses were performed to assess overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF (p<.001) and galectin-1 (p<.001), as well as MVD area (p<.001) and number of vessels/mm² (p<.050), were significantly higher in the +MELF pattern group compared to the –MELF group. A low negative correlation between MELF-pattern and the number of days of survival (p<.001, r=–0.47) was also found. A low positive correlation of MELF-pattern with galectin-1 expression (p<.001, r=0.39), area of vessels/mm² (p<.001, r=0.36), outcome of EA (p<.001, r=0.42) and VEGF expression (p<.001, r=0.39) suggests potential pathological relevance of these factors in the prognosis of EA. A univariate survival analysis indicated a role for all parameters of survival. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that only area of vessels/mm² (hazard ratio [HR], 1.018; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002 to 1.033), galectin-1 (HR, 1.049; 95% CI, 1.025 to 1.074) and VEGF (HR, 1.049; 95% CI, 1.022 to 1.077) play key roles in OS. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports an increase in MVD, VEGF and galectin-1 expression in EA with MELF pattern and suggests that MELF pattern, along with the angiogenic profile, may be a prognostic factor in EA.
Adenocarcinoma ; Disease-Free Survival ; Galectin 1 ; Humans ; Microvessels ; Prognosis ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVES: There is a classical distinction based on clinical criteria between acquired and congenital cholesteatomas. To determine if these two types of lesions show different immunohistochemical features, we have studied the expression patterns of three distinctive galectins (animal lectins implied especially in cellular proliferation and apoptosis) in both types of cholesteatomas and compared it to their expression patterns in external auditory canal skin. METHODS: Our study is based on nine acquired and eight congenital cholesteatomas, obtained from children during ear surgery. Six specimens of normal adult auditory meatal skin served as control. Specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies with galectin-1 and galectin-3, and a polyclonal antibody with galectin-7. RESULTS: We did not observe any differences in the galectin distribution pattern between congenital and acquired pediatric cholesteatomas. Compared to the control group, cholesteatomas present some particular features. There was no expression of galectin-1 and a lower expression of galectin-3 in the epithelium. Furthermore, we observed a preferentially nuclear distribution of galectin-7 in cholesteatomas, whereas it is essentially cytoplasmic in the control group. CONCLUSION: The data reported in this study suggest, on the basis of a lesser marked galectin-3 in cholesteatomas epithelium compared with an external auditory canal skin, that an immature keratinocytes population is at the origin of these lesions and that galectin-3 and galectin-7 play a part in the capacity as apoptosis modulators. Our study does not establish a difference in the galectin expressions of congenital and acquired cholesteatomas, but it constitutes however an additional argument in favor of the "undifferentiated" origin of keratinocytes in cholesteatomas.
Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Child ; Cholesteatoma ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; Cytoplasm ; Ear ; Ear Canal ; Epithelium ; Galectin 1 ; Galectin 3 ; Galectins ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes ; Lectins ; Skin

PURPOSE: Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIF) is a significant complication of radiotherapy for lung cancer. Despite the large number of studies, the molecular mechanisms of RIF are poorly understood. Therefore, the complex protein expression pattern in RIF was characterized by identifying the proteins with an altered expression level after thorax irradiation using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mouse model of RIF was used to examine the alteration of the lung proteome because of availability of murine data related to human cases and the abundance of murine fibrotic lung samples. A mouse model of RIF was induced in radiosensitive C57BL/6 mice. Twenty-one weeks after 25 Gy irradiation, hematoxylin-eosin staining and hydroxyproline assay confirmed the early-phase pulmonary fibrosis. RESULTS: Lung samples from the irradiated and age-matched control mice were used to generate 16 high quality 2-DE gels containing approximately 1,000 spots. Of the 31 significantly up- or down-regulated protein spots, 17 were identified by MALDI-TOF/MS. CONCLUSIONS: Two important upregulated proteins were found, the alpha-protease inhibitor and galectin-1, which might be used as potential markers for the early phase of RIF.
Animals ; Electrophoresis ; Galectin 1* ; Gels ; Humans ; Hydroxyproline ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mice ; Proteome ; Proteomics ; Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Radiotherapy ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a member of the galectin family of proteins, which are carbohydrate-binding proteins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. Gal-1 is differentially expressed by various normal and pathological tissues and it performs polyvalent, wide-ranging biological activities. A Gal-1 expression or over-expression in tumors and/or in the tissue surrounding them must be considered as a sign of malignant tumor progression that is often related to tumor metastasis. Although Gal-1 also plays important roles for tumorigenesis and tumor progression, the expression of Gal-1 in melanocytic nevus, dysplastic nevus and malgant melanoma has not yet been investigated. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to investigate and compare the expression of Gal-1 in melanocytic nevus, dysplastic nevusand malignant melanoma. METHODS: The paraffin-embedded specimens of 9 cases of malignant melanoma (MM), 6 cases of dysplastic nevus (DN) and 6 cases of intradermal nevus (IN) were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for Gal-1. RESULTS: The percentage of positive cells for Gal-1 in the MM was significantly higher than that of the DN and IN (p<0.01). The staining intensity of the positive cells for Gal-1 was the highest also in the MM. Meanwhile Gal-1 was more strongly expressed in highly atypical (more pleomorphic, more atypical mitoses) areas of the melanoma tissues. But there was no significant difference between the DN and IN for the expression of Gal-1. LIMITATION: This study is restricted to a small number of patients. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that Gal-1 is more strongly expressed in malignant melanoma than in melanocytic nevus and dysplastic nevus. Interestingly, Gal-1 was more strongly expressed in the highly atypical portions of the melanoma tissue. Gal-1 might well contribute to the tumorigenesis and malignancy of melanocytes.
Benzamides ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome ; Galectin 1 ; Galectins ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Proteins ; Tyrosine

PURPOSE: The role of different galectins in the pathogenesis of different types of malignancy is now being intensely investigated. In this study, authors investigated the level of galectin-1 expression in human breast cancer tissue to define its relationship to the tumor invasiveness and tumor progression. METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 79 randomly selected breast cancer patients were used to perform immunohistochemical staining for galectin-1. The primary antibody was diluted mouse monoclonal antibody against galectin-1. The staining results were then interpreted by an experienced pathologist, and the results were compared between the groups having different pathologic variables. RESULTS: In breast cancer patients, galectin-1 was diversely expressed in the cancer tissue. Galectin-1 was expressed in both cancer cells and cancer-associated stromal cells. The levels of galectin-1 expression in cancer-associated stromal cells were higher in patients with invasive carcinoma (p = 0.001), in patients with advanced T stages (p = 0.007), and in patients with advanced TNM stages (p = 0.007). The galectin-1 expression in cancer-associated stromal cells was also higher in patients with lymph node metastasis and advanced N stages, but did not reach a statistically significant level. The galectin-1 expression in cancer cell did not have any correlation with pathologic variables. CONCLUSION: This is the first study that has demonstrated the relationship of galectin-1 expression with the tumor invasiveness and tumor progression in human breast cancer. Further large-scaled studies are needed to define the prognostic value of galectin-1 in breast cancer patients, and the exact role of galectin-1 should be investigated more thoroughly.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Galectin 1* ; Galectins ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Mice ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stromal Cells

PURPOSE: The role of different galectins in the pathogenesis of different types of malignancy is now being intensely investigated. In this study, authors investigated the level of galectin-1 expression in human breast cancer tissue to define its relationship to the tumor invasiveness and tumor progression. METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 79 randomly selected breast cancer patients were used to perform immunohistochemical staining for galectin-1. The primary antibody was diluted mouse monoclonal antibody against galectin-1. The staining results were then interpreted by an experienced pathologist, and the results were compared between the groups having different pathologic variables. RESULTS: In breast cancer patients, galectin-1 was diversely expressed in the cancer tissue. Galectin-1 was expressed in both cancer cells and cancer-associated stromal cells. The levels of galectin-1 expression in cancer-associated stromal cells were higher in patients with invasive carcinoma (p = 0.001), in patients with advanced T stages (p = 0.007), and in patients with advanced TNM stages (p = 0.007). The galectin-1 expression in cancer-associated stromal cells was also higher in patients with lymph node metastasis and advanced N stages, but did not reach a statistically significant level. The galectin-1 expression in cancer cell did not have any correlation with pathologic variables. CONCLUSION: This is the first study that has demonstrated the relationship of galectin-1 expression with the tumor invasiveness and tumor progression in human breast cancer. Further large-scaled studies are needed to define the prognostic value of galectin-1 in breast cancer patients, and the exact role of galectin-1 should be investigated more thoroughly.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Galectin 1* ; Galectins ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Mice ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stromal Cells

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into several cell types. In addition, many studies have shown that MSCs modulate the immune response. However, little information is currently available regarding the maintenance of immunomodulatory characteristics of MSCs through passages. Therefore, we investigated and compared cytokine and gene expression levels from adipose (AD) and bone marrow (BM)-derived MSCs relevant to immune modulation from early to late passages. METHODS: MSC immunophenotype, growth characteristics, cytokine expressions, and gene expressions were analyzed. RESULTS: AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs had similar cell morphologies and surface marker expressions from passage 4 to passage 10. Cytokines secreted by AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs were similar from early to late passages. AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs showed similar immunomodulatory properties in terms of cytokine secretion levels. However, the gene expressions of tumor necrosis factor-stimulated gene (TSG)-6 and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G were decreased and gene expressions of galectin-1 and -3 were increased in both AD- and BM-MSCs with repeated passages. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the immunophenotype and expression of immunomodulation-related cytokines of AD-MSCs and BM-MSCs immunomodulation through the passages were not significantly different, even though the gene expressions of both MSCs were different.
Bone Marrow ; Cytokines* ; Galectin 1 ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Immunomodulation ; Leukocytes ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Multipotent Stem Cells ; Necrosis

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the gene expression profiles using GeneFishing(TM) DEG kit in Korean women with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Cervical cancer biopsies were obtained from patients at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Mary's hodpital. In this study, we used a common reference that was mixed with an equal amount of RNA extracted from non-cervical cancer patients. The profiles of expression genes between cervical normal and squamous cell carcinoma tissue were identified using GeneFishing(TM) DEG Kit and screened by BLAST search. RESULTS: Almost 100 differential expressed genes were identified in universal control and cervical squamous cell carcinoma, 53 of differential expressed genes, up-regulated expression of 32 and 21 down-regulated expression was sequenced. Up-regulated genes were calcylin, calgranulin A, TRK oncogene, HLC5, fibrillarin, collagene type I alpha1 etc. and down-regulated genes were galectin 1, PRP8 pre-mRNA precessing factor 8 homology, clusterin etc. CONCLUSION: We identified gene expression profile in cervical squamous cell carcinoma using GeneFishing(TM) Kit in Korean women. The functional genomics of these genes should be further studied.
Biopsy ; Calgranulin A ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Clusterin ; Collagen ; Female ; Galectin 1 ; Gene Expression* ; Genomics ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Obstetrics ; Oncogenes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; RNA ; RNA Precursors ; Transcriptome ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

OBJECTIVEProteomics-based approach was applied to analyze and compare the difference of proteins among human nasal inverted papilloma (NIP), nasal polyposis and normal nasal mucosa, in order to screen different proteins as marker.

METHODSThe total proteins of NIP, nasal polyposis and normal nasal mucosa were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Protein image obtained by using the gel of Calibrated GS-800 Densitometer system, and determined different protein spots.

RESULTSSix differential proteins between NIP and nasal polyp tissue were identified, which were galectin-1, Manganese-superoxide dismutase, galectin-7, trichostatin A, prohibitin and transferring. All of them were increased in NIP.

CONCLUSIONSSix differential proteins were possibly involved in NIP, which provided a new way for discriminating NIP from nasal polyposis. The data would be good for the establishment of NIP protein 2-DE map.

Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Galectin 1 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Nasal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nasal Polyps ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nose Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Papilloma, Inverted ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proteomics