Immunohistochemical evaluation of galectin-3 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma, oral leukoplakia and normal mucosa.

BACKGROUND

Galectin 3 (Gal-3) has diverse functions critical in cancer biology including cell proliferation, apoptosis, evasion of immune responses and angiogenesis. The expression of Gal-3 is heterogeneous in normal and neoplastic tissues. In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral leukoplakia (OL), both increased and decreased expressions of Gal-3 were elicited in numerous studies.

AIMS

To evaluate, compare and correlate the immunohistochemical expression of Gal-3 in OSCC, OL and normal oral mucosa.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

The study was conducted at the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology at PMS College of Dental Science and Research, Vattapara, Thiruvananthapuram. This is a retrospective analytical study.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

Clinically diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed cases of OSCC (n = 21), OL (n = 21), and normal oral mucosa (n = 21) were included in the study. Paraffin-embedded tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis for Gal-3 expression. Gal-3 staining expression, staining distribution and cellular localisation were evaluated. All sampled categories were compared using immunohistochemical scoring analysis such as the H-score, labelling index (LI), immunoreactive score (IRS) and staining intensity (SI).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The results were statistically analysed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) within and among the groups.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The statistical inferences obtained found that the H-score could be used as a guideline for better differentiation between the groups and among the groups. The P value obtained was < 0.0125 and was found to be significant. The observation in our study shows that the immunohistochemical expression of Gal-3 gradually decreased from normal oral mucosa to OL to OSCC.