Carbohydrate-Binding Protein 35 Is the Major Cell-Surface Laminin-Binding Protein in Colon Carcinoma

Abstract

The interaction of tumor cells with laminin is thought to be critical in invasion and metastasis. We found that an endogenous lectin, carbohydrate-binding protein 35 (CBP-35), is the major laminin-binding protein on human colon carcinoma cells and that its surface expression suggests involvement in metastasis. We identified CBP-35 by laminin-affinity chromatography and immunoblotting. Surface expression of CBP-35 on eight human colon carcinoma cell lines was compared by flow cytometry. Poorly differentiated cell lines and DLD-2, a signet-ring carcinoma cell line, expressed more surface CBP-35 than well-differentiated cell lines. Poorly differentiated cell lines and DLD-2 are characterized as aggressive cell lines because they adhere to and invade through reconstituted basement membrane significantly better than well-differentiated cell lines. These data suggest that CBP-35 is involved in tumor cell-basement membrane interactions and that an increase in CBP-35 surface expression may facilitate metastatic potential of colon carcinoma cells.

Galectin‐3 is expressed in the notochord, developing bones, and skin of the postimplantation mouse embryo

“…While previous reports have demonstrated galectin-3 expression in the epithelia of adult intestine (Lee et al, 1991;Lotz, et al, 1993) and 16.5 dpc embryonic or neonatal kidney (Foddy et al, 1990), examination of the 14.5 dpc embryo did not reveal expression in intestine nor in the kidney, suggesting that the gene becomes active and may only be required at later stages. However, we did find galectin-3 transcripts in the epithelia of the bladder and larynx at 14.5 dpc and oesophagous at 15.5 dpc.…”

What can we learn from the phenomenon of preferential lymph node metastasis in carcinoma?

“…Nevertheless, positive adhesive interaction with other cells and with matrix is a critical step in the establishment of a metastatic focus. In this respect, the importance of the adhesive interaction of dendritic cells with laminin in their successful "colonization" of local regional lymph nodes is reminiscent of the role laminin binding plays in promoting metastasis for a wide variety of tumor cells in sites other than lymph nodes [11,29,30]. Although typically found in basement membranes, laminin also appears to be sequestered in the luminal glycocalyx of lymph node HEVs, perhaps contributing to the efficiency of HEVs in lymphocyte trafficking [4].…”

Association between sucrase-isomaltase and p53 expression in colorectal cancer

“…The function of galectin 3 is not yet fully clarified. However, it may be important for cell recognition and adhesion because it may mediate cell attachment to laminin, a protein in basement membranes (15). In addition, galectin 3 recently has been shown to bind carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (35), which also may mediate intercellular adhesion (36,37) as well as enhance metastasis to liver and lung from colorectal carcinomas (38).…”

“…The first candidate is sucrase-isomaltase (SI), a disaccharidase, that is not expressed in normal adult large bowel but is upregulated in moderately dysplastic adenomatous polyps and is expressed in >50% of CRC cases (13,14). Galectin 3, the second tissue-based prognostic marker, is a 35-kDa galactose-binding lectin that may be involved in adhesion to basement membrane laminin (15). Its expression is normally confined to colonic epithelial cells in the apex of the crypts of Lieberkuhn, but it is redistributed throughout the cytoplasm of neoplastic cells (16).…”