Orlandi F, Saggiorato E, Pivano G, Puligheddu B, Termine A, Cappia S, De Giuli P, Angeli A
Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Orbassano, Torino, Italy.
Cancer Res. 1998 Jul 15;58(14):3015-20.
Galectin-3 is a carbohydrate-binding protein endowed with an affinity for beta-galactosides. It has been shown to play an important role in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and in pre-mRNA splicing. Furthermore, it is involved in the control of cell growth, neoplastic transformation, and metastasis. Interestingly, high levels of galectin-3 expression have been recently described in malignant thyroid neoplasias, but not in adenomas or in normal thyroid tissue. We investigated galectin-3 expression in human presurgical specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. We analyzed galectin-3 expression by immunoperoxidase staining in both paraffin-embedded cytological thyroid sediments (cell blocks) obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy and their histological counterparts. A total of 64 samples were examined: 17 follicular carcinomas; 18 papillary carcinomas; and 29 follicular adenomas. All cell blocks and histological samples of papillary carcinomas expressed high levels of galectin-3 at either the cytoplasmic or nuclear level. Among follicular carcinomas, all histological samples expressed galectin-3, whereas 14 of 17 corresponding cell blocks were positive in the cytoplasm. No evidence of cytoplasmic galectin-3 expression was observed in 26 of 29 follicular adenomas. Hence, cytoplasmic galectin-3 staining seems to be a reliable, easy, and cheap marker for presurgical diagnosis of follicular carcinomas and an even more suitable one for papillary carcinomas.
半乳糖凝集素-3是一种对β-半乳糖苷具有亲和力的碳水化合物结合蛋白。已证明它在细胞间和细胞与基质的相互作用以及前体mRNA剪接中发挥重要作用。此外，它还参与细胞生长、肿瘤转化和转移的调控。有趣的是，最近在恶性甲状腺肿瘤中发现了高水平的半乳糖凝集素-3表达，但在腺瘤或正常甲状腺组织中未发现。我们研究了通过细针穿刺活检获得的人类术前标本中半乳糖凝集素-3的表达。我们通过免疫过氧化物酶染色分析了细针穿刺活检获得的石蜡包埋甲状腺细胞学沉淀物（细胞块）及其组织学对应物中的半乳糖凝集素-3表达。共检查了64个样本：17例滤泡癌；18例乳头状癌；29例滤泡性腺瘤。所有乳头状癌的细胞块和组织学样本在细胞质或核水平均表达高水平的半乳糖凝集素-3。在滤泡癌中，所有组织学样本均表达半乳糖凝集素-3，而17个相应细胞块中有14个在细胞质中呈阳性。29例滤泡性腺瘤中有26例未观察到细胞质半乳糖凝集素-3表达的证据。因此，细胞质半乳糖凝集素-3染色似乎是滤泡癌术前诊断的一种可靠、简便且廉价的标志物，对于乳头状癌来说甚至更合适。
