No abstract available.
Galectin 3* ; Macrophages*

No abstract available.
Galectin 3* ; Skin*

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: The expressions of galectin-3, cytokeratin 19, p53, and Ki-67 in papillary carcinoma (PC), follicular carcinoma (FC), follicular adenoma (FA), and nodular hyperplasia (NH) are characteristic for the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid tumors. METHODS: The expressions of the four markers were evaluated in PC (n=37), FC (n=12), FA (n=22), and NH (n=23) by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Statistical analyses revealed that galectin-3 was significantly expressed in the malignant tumor cells of PC and FC, while CK19 was expressed only in PC. CONCLUSION: These results show that galectin-3 is useful in differential diagnosis between malignant and benign thyroid lesions, especially between FC and FA in the patients over 20 years old, and indicate that CK19 is valuable in differentiating between follicular variant of PC and FC and between PC and papillary area of nodular hyperplasia.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Galectin 3* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Keratin-19* ; Keratins* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: There are few molecular markers useful in practice for predicting prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) despite numerous basic researches. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic values of several candidate markers of PTC (p53, Ki-67 and galectin-3) using immunohistochemistry (IHC), one of the most practical methods. METHODS: IHC for p53, Ki-67 and galectin-3 were performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of 160 PTC specimens using monoclonal antibodies. The associations of the expressions of these markers with multiple clinicopathologic prognostic factors were assessed. RESULTS: The overexpresion rates of p53, Ki-67 and galectin-3 were 48.8%, 64.3% and 97.8%, respectively. Overexpression of p53 protein was positively associated with extrathyroidal extension (P<0.001). In addition, p53 immunoreactivity was more prevalent among Ki-67 overexpressed specimens (P<0.001). Ki-67 immunoreactivity was positively correlated with tumor size (P<0.05), which became more distinct when accompanied with p53 overexpression (P<0.01). In contrast, no relationship between galectin-3 immunoreactivity and clinical prognostic factors was found. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that overexpression of p53 protein and Ki-67 in papillary thyroid carcinoma is associated with tumor progression and that IHC for these proteins could be useful for predicting prognosis of patients with PTC.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Carcinoma ; Factor IX ; Galectin 3 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Prognosis ; Proteins ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Follicular tumors can present a difficult diagnostic challenge for cytological evaluation and ultrasound findings. Therefore, new methods which could help distinguish follicular adenoma from follicular carcinoma simply and accurately are greatly desired. This study investigated the usefulness of immnunohistochemical expression of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and galectin-3 as marker of differentiated thyroid carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of CXCR4 and galectin-3 were examined immunohistochemically in the 60 paraffin embedded tissues which were already diagnosed as follicular adenoma (n=20), follicullar carcinoma (n=20), and papillary carcinoma (n=20) of thyroid. RESULTS: Galatin-3 was expressed significantly high in follicular carcinoma than follicular adenoma (p=0.022). CXCR4 was also expressed significantly high in follicular carcinoma than follicular adenoma (p=0.027). The sensitivity of CXCR4 and galectin-3 was 70% and 80% and specificity, 65% and 60% for differential diagnosis of follicular tumors. CONCLUSION: An immunohistochemical panel, including galatin-3 and CXCR4, could be useful in the differential diagnosis between follicular adenoma from follicular carcinoma.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Galectin 3 ; Paraffin ; Receptors, CXCR ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Gland

Gastric cancer cells express large amounts of galectin-3 on the cell surface. This fact may provide the possibility to use galectin-3 protein as a surface target for delivering cytotoxic anticancer agents. To investigate the possibility of application of galectin-3 protein as a target protein in delivering cytotoxic anticancer agents, we synthesized doxorubicin immunoconjugate by using maleimidocaproic acid and conjugated doxorubicin immunoconjugate to anti-galectin-3 mAb. The anticancer effect of immunotoxin was assayed on NIH3T3, AGS and KATO III cell lines. The anticancer effect of immunotoxin on AGS cell line is highest and that of KATO III is higher than that of NIH3T3. This results relate to that of flow cytometry analysis previously shown and indicate that galectin-3 protein can be used as a target protein on the surface of gastric cancer cell for delivering cytotoxic anticancer agents.
Antineoplastic Agents* ; Cell Line ; Doxorubicin ; Flow Cytometry ; Galectin 3 ; Galectins* ; Immunoconjugates ; Immunotoxins ; Staphylococcal Protein A ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Making the diagnosis of the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) is often difficult, and there are no accurate immunohistochemical or molecular markers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate performing immunohistochemistry to make the diagnosis of FVPTC. METHODS: A total of 249 thyroid lesions were studied. We made the tissue microarray, and we assessed the expression of HBME-1, galectin-3, CD56, and p63. RESULTS: Galectin-3, HBME-1, and p63 were positive in 79.7%, 79.7%, and 15.9% of the FVPTC, respectively. These immunohistochemical features of FVPTC were between those of classic papillary thyroid carcinoma (CPTC) and those of non-PTC. The CD56 expression was positive in 75.4% of the FVPTC, which is much higher than that of the CPTC (28.3%), and even higher than that of the non-PTC lesions (60%). Comparing FVPTC with CPTC, the expression of galectin-3 was significantly higher and the expression of CD56 was significantly lower in the CPTCs. Comparing the FVPTC with follicular carcinoma (FC), the expression of all the markers was significantly higher in the FVPTC. Comparing PTC with FC, the expression of CD56 was lower and the expressions of the other markers were higher in the PTCs. CONCLUSIONS: Galectin-3, HBME-1, and p63 can help make the diagnosis of FVPTC, and a cocktail of these markers can be even more useful. But CD56 is not thought to be useful to make the diagnosis of FVPTC.
Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Factor IX ; Galectin 3 ; Immunohistochemistry ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has variable degree of F-18 FDG avidity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between F-18 FDG uptake and pathological or immunohistochemical features of DTC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DTC patients who underwent both pre-operative F-18 FDG PET/CT scan and surgery were included in the study. Maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of primary tumor were calculated. If the primary tumor showed no perceptibly increased F-18 FDG uptake, region of interest was drawn based on finding of CT portion of the PET/CT images. Pathological and immunohistochemical markers such as presence of lymph node (LN) metastasis and underlying thyroiditis, tumor size, Ki-67 labeling index, expressions of EGFR, COX-2, and Galectin-3 were evaluated. RESULTS: Total of 106 patients was included (102 papillary carcinomas, 4 follicular carcinomas). The mean SUVmax of the large tumors (above 1 cm) was significantly higher than the mean SUVmax of small (equal to or less than 1 cm) ones (7.8+/-8.5 vs. 3.6+/-3.1, p=0.004). No significant difference in F-18 FDG uptake was found according to the presence or absence of LN metastasis and underlying thyroiditis, or the degree of Ki-67 labeling index, expression of EGFR, COX-2 and Galectin-3. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the degree of F-18 FDG uptake in DTC was associated with the size of primary tumor. But there seem to be no relationship between F-18 FDG uptake of DTC and expression of Ki-67, EGFR, COX-2 and Galectin-3.
Carcinoma, Papillary ; Galectin 3 ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroiditis

BACKGROUND: Follicular patterned thyroid nodules with incomplete nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FTN-INPTCs) are difficult to diagnose, and their biological behavior and association with follicular variants of PTC (FVPTCs) have not yet been established. The aim of this study is to determine immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTCs. METHODS: We investigated immunohistochemical features (galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19, fibronectin-1, CITED1), BRAF V600E mutation and RASSF1A promoter methylation status in 30 FTN-INPTC cases, along with 26 FVPTCs, 21 follicular adenomas (FAs) and 14 nodular hyperplasias (NHs). RESULTS: Expression of galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19 and CITED1 was significantly higher in FTN-INPTCs than in FAs or NHs, but expression of galectin-3, CK19 and fibronectin-1 was lower in FTN-INPTCs than in FVPTCs. The BRAF V600E mutation was not detected in the benign nodules or FTN-INPTCs, whereas 57% of FVPTCs had the mutation. RASSF1A promoter methylation was higher in FTN-INPTCs than in benign nodules but there was no difference between FTN-INPTCs and FVPTCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results represent the borderline immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTC. We conclude that FTN-INPTC is an intermediate lesion between a benign nodule and a FVPTC, and that it is pathogenetically related to FVPTC.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Factor IX ; Galectin 3 ; Hyperplasia ; Methylation ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule