Zaia Povegliano Luciana, Oshima Celina Tizuko Fujiyama, de Oliveira Lima Flávio, Andrade Scherholz Pedro Luiz, Manoukian Forones Nora
Oncology Unit, Discipline of Gastroenterology, UNIFESP/EPM, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
J Gastrointest Cancer. 2011 Dec;42(4):217-21. doi: 10.1007/s12029-010-9189-1.
Galectin-3 is an endogenous galactose-binding protein that is expressed in a wide range of normal and neoplasic tissues and is thought to be involved in cellular adhesion, growth regulation, and apoptosis. Galectin-3 seems to have an important role in colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunoexpression of galectin-3 in patients with colorectal cancer under surgery and chemotherapy treatment and the relationship of galectin-3 expression and clinical aspects or tumor evolution.
Galectin-3 expression was examined immunohistochemically in 75 samples of colorectal tissues. A scoring system was used to evaluate the cytoplasmic cells color. Among the patients, 40 were female; the average age was 61.98 years old. According to the site, 42.6% was of the rectum, 33.4% right colon, and 24% left colon. Thirty-three tumors were stage II, 32 stage III, and ten stage IV.
Galectin-3 immunoexpression was classified as 1 in 57.33% of tumors. The highest percentage of staining cells appeared in the most advanced cancer (p = 0.4899). Patients with recurrence had a great number of tumors with high score (p = 0.0465). In addition, high or moderate galectin-3 immunoexpression had been associated with an increased marginal risk for death (p = 0.0795). The immunoexpression of galectin-3 was strong or moderate in 42% of the colorectal tumors. Patients with strong or moderate immunoexpression of galectin-3 died or had recurrence more frequently. The risk of death was marginally reduced in patients with negative or low-grade galectin-3. Galectin-3 cytoplasmatic immunoexpression seems to be a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer because a higher risk of recurrence had been observed in tumors with a high score of galectin-3. However, a higher risk of death was not found on this group.
半乳糖凝集素-3是一种内源性半乳糖结合蛋白，在多种正常组织和肿瘤组织中均有表达，被认为参与细胞黏附、生长调节和细胞凋亡过程。半乳糖凝集素-3似乎在结直肠癌中发挥重要作用。本研究旨在评估接受手术和化疗的结直肠癌患者中半乳糖凝集素-3的免疫表达情况，以及半乳糖凝集素-3表达与临床特征或肿瘤进展的关系。
采用免疫组织化学方法检测75例结直肠组织样本中半乳糖凝集素-3的表达。使用评分系统评估细胞质细胞的染色情况。患者中，女性40例；平均年龄为61.98岁。根据肿瘤部位，42.6%位于直肠，33.4%位于右半结肠，24%位于左半结肠。33例肿瘤为II期，32例为III期，10例为IV期。
57.33%的肿瘤中半乳糖凝集素-3免疫表达被分类为1级。染色细胞百分比最高出现在进展期癌症中（p = 0.4899）。复发患者中高评分肿瘤数量较多（p = 0.0465）。此外，半乳糖凝集素-3高表达或中度表达与死亡边缘风险增加相关（p = 0.0795）。42%的结直肠肿瘤中半乳糖凝集素-3免疫表达为强阳性或中度阳性。半乳糖凝集素-3免疫表达为强阳性或中度阳性的患者死亡或复发更为频繁。半乳糖凝集素-3阴性或低表达患者的死亡风险略有降低。半乳糖凝集素-3细胞质免疫表达似乎是结直肠癌的一个预后因素，因为在半乳糖凝集素-3高评分的肿瘤中观察到更高的复发风险。然而，该组患者未发现更高的死亡风险。
