Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2012 Jun;138(6):1035-43. doi: 10.1007/s00432-012-1178-2. Epub 2012 Feb 25.
Galectin-3, a member of the beta-galactoside-binding protein family, is involved in many biological processes, including cell proliferation, regulating cell cycle, angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, metastasis, etc. The aim of this study is to elucidate the relationship between galectin-3 and clinicopathological variables and to evaluate the clinical significance of serum galectin-3 in the diagnosis of pancreas carcinoma.
Galectin-3 expression in 78 pairs of pancreatic carcinoma tissues and the adjacent nontumorous tissues was tested by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between galectin-3 expression and clinical variables was analyzed. A sensitive method of time-resolved fluorescence immunological assay (TRFIA) for the detection of galectin-3 was established, and serum galectin-3 in cases with different pancreatic diseases was measured by TRFIA and ELISA. Further we compared the sensitivity and specificity of determining galectin-3, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen199 (CA199) for diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma and assessed the complementary diagnostic value of galectin-3, CEA and CA199 for pancreatic carcinoma.
Immunohistochemistry showed that galectin-3 expression was significantly higher in the human pancreatic carcinoma tissues than in the adjacent nontumorous tissues. The expression levels were correlated with the differentiation degree with the higher expression in poor differentiation tissues. Serum galectin-3 detected by both TRFIA and ELISA was much higher in patients with pancreatic carcinoma than in other groups. Serum galectin-3 was not correlated with CEA and CA199. Combined determination of these three markers has the complementary diagnostic value for human pancreatic carcinoma and may increase the diagnostic sensitivity to 97.5%.
Galectin-3 is overexpressed in pancreatic carcinoma tissues, and it is correlated with the tumor differentiation. Serum galectin-3 is higher in cases with pancreatic carcinoma than in benign pancreatic diseases and healthy persons. Combined determination of serum galectin-3, CEA and CA199 may improve the diagnostic power for pancreatic carcinoma.
半乳糖凝集素-3 是β-半乳糖苷结合蛋白家族的成员，参与许多生物学过程，包括细胞增殖、调节细胞周期、血管生成、肿瘤发生、转移等。本研究旨在阐明半乳糖凝集素-3 与临床病理变量之间的关系，并评估血清半乳糖凝集素-3 在胰腺癌诊断中的临床意义。
采用免疫组织化学法检测 78 对胰腺癌组织及其相邻非肿瘤组织中半乳糖凝集素-3 的表达，分析半乳糖凝集素-3 表达与临床变量的关系。建立了一种检测半乳糖凝集素-3 的敏感时间分辨荧光免疫分析（TRFIA）方法，并采用 TRFIA 和 ELISA 法检测不同胰腺疾病患者的血清半乳糖凝集素-3。进一步比较了测定半乳糖凝集素-3、癌胚抗原（CEA）和糖类抗原 199（CA199）对胰腺癌诊断的敏感性和特异性，并评估了半乳糖凝集素-3、CEA 和 CA199 对胰腺癌的互补诊断价值。
免疫组织化学结果显示，人胰腺癌组织中半乳糖凝集素-3 的表达明显高于相邻非肿瘤组织。表达水平与分化程度相关，在低分化组织中表达较高。TRFIA 和 ELISA 检测的血清半乳糖凝集素-3 在胰腺癌患者中均明显高于其他组。血清半乳糖凝集素-3 与 CEA 和 CA199 不相关。联合检测这三种标志物对人胰腺癌具有互补诊断价值，可将诊断敏感性提高至 97.5%。
半乳糖凝集素-3 在胰腺癌组织中过度表达，与肿瘤分化有关。胰腺癌患者血清半乳糖凝集素-3 高于良性胰腺疾病和健康人群。联合检测血清半乳糖凝集素-3、CEA 和 CA199 可能提高胰腺癌的诊断能力。
