Galectin-8 Expression in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

ObjectivesDespite the ongoing development of treatment protocols for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), the patients suffering with this malady have shown only a modestly improved outcome. This poor outcome has been attributed to the lack of therapy that's individualized to the tumor's biological properties. Various studies have showed that galectin-8 is widely expressed in tumor tissues as well as in normal tissues, and the level of the galectin-8 expression may correlate with the malignancy of human squamous cell carcinoma. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expression of galectin-8 and to investigate its correlations with the primary stage, the nodal involvement, the clinical stage and the histologic grade of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.MethodsThe paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 77 patients who were diagnosed as LSCC between 1993 and 2007 were immunohistochemically stained for galectin-8.ResultsImmunohistochemical analysis showed that a strong positive expression of galectin-8 was correlated with the T-stages, the nodal stages and the clinical stages. However, the histopathologic grades were not correlated with the galectin-8 expression in LSCC.ConclusionThe expression of galectin-8 protein can be used as a prognostic factor for patients with LSCC.

Galectin‐8 promotes regulatory T‐cell differentiation by modulating IL‐2 and TGFβ signaling

“…Our data indicate that Treg cells polarized in the presence of Gal-8 are functional, as they are able to inhibit the proliferation of activated T cells. Gal-8 expression is upregulated in certain cancers, such as laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid tumors 20,21. Thus, it is possible that in addition to its role in angiogenesis, 22 Gal-8 may promote tumor immune evasion and survival by stimulating Treg cell differentiation.…”

“…Gal-8 expression is upregulated in certain cancers, such as laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid tumors. 17,18 Thus, it is possible that in addition to its role in angiogenesis, 19 Gal-8 may promote tumor immune evasion and survival by stimulating Treg cell differentiation. Others have demonstrated that Gal-1 and Gal-9 positively regulate Treg cell function, 10,11 whereas Gal-3 negatively regulates Treg cell expansion and function.…”

Decreased Galectin-8 Is a Strong Marker for Recurrence in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder

“…In a second study on colon cancer, the preliminary data could be confirmed in a larger cohort, suggesting a marked decrease of galectin-8 expression with more aggressive tumor types [8] . However, implied conflicting data appeared on laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma as, in contrast to Danguy et al, an increase with tumor and clinical stages was observed [20] . It must be explicitly noted that normal laryngeal tissue was not compared to tumor tissue.…”

Genome-wide Expression Profiling (with Focus on the Galectin Network) in Tumor, Transition Zone and Normal Tissue of Head and Neck Cancer: Marked Differences Between Individual Patients and the Site of Specimen Origin

“…Such signals are evidently read and interpreted by members of the family of adhesion/growth-regulatory galectins (16)(17)(18), and these bioeffectors are present in SCC. Their study was initiated in cells and immunohistochemically for galectins 1 and 3 (19-24), then extended to other family members such as galectins 7, 8 and 9, indicating the presence of a galectin network (25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31). At the level of cellular activity, the demonstration that a lectin such as galectin-1 is associated to pro-inflammatory/invasive activities such as those of chemo-and cytokines, or the prodegradative matrix metalloproteinases, points to a molecular bridge from lectins to tumor progression (32)(33)(34).…”