Loss of adhesion/growth‐regulatory galectin‐9 from squamous cell epithelium in head and neck carcinomas

Abstract

Galectins are potent effectors of cell adhesion and growth regulation. Their expression as comples network necessitates systematic study of each member of this family. Toward this aim, we here focus on the tandem-repeat-type galectin-9. Its presence is monitored in normal squamous epithelium of the head and neck, the surgical margin, and four types of squamous cell carcinoma. Lectin presence was detected in cells of the basal layer of the epithelium. All galectin-9-negative epithelia showed aberrant positivity for keratins 14 and 19. The surgical margin presented either a normal pattern of galectin-9 and keratin presence or a mosaic-like presence/absence of galectin-9 and aberrant expression of both keratins 14 and 19. All studied specimens of squamous cell carcinoma were negative for galectin-9. When biotinylated galectin-9, or its N-terminal domain, was tested, no significant tissue reactivity for both probes was observed. Neuraminidase treatment generated reactivity to the N-domain. In conclusion, galectin-9 is expressed in the majority of samples of normal epithelium, along with regular presence of keratins 14 or 19. This lectin can represent a potential marker of normality in the cases of the studied squamous cell epithelia.

Pattern of galectins expression in actinic cheilitis with different risks of malignant transformation

“…Similar to the previously discussed galectins, galectin‐9 has been linked to complex processes in tumor initiation and progression such as tumor immunity, cell adhesion, migration, and metastasis . In fact, change of a normally physiologic state into a malignant state has been associated with loss of this protein . Our results revealed that galectin‐9‐positive cells significantly decreased with the increase of malignant transformation risk.…”

“…To date, 15 galectins have been identified in mammals, each one containing at least one conserved carbohydrate‐recognition domain that preferentially binds to β‐galactosides . Functionally polyvalent, these lectins are involved in several physiological and pathological process such as angiogenesis , apoptosis , differentiation , and metastasis . The function may differ depending on their location, once galectins can be present in the cytoplasm and move into the nucleus or can be secreted to extracellular space .…”

“…Several studies demonstrated that galectin‐1, galectin‐3, and galectin‐7 are deeply involved in various cancer types, particularly SCC of the head and neck and diseases, that similar to AC, are induced by UV radiation, such as in nevi transformation into cutaneous melanomas . In addition, recent researches on galectin‐9 are emerging and showing its involvement in cell–cell adhesion and cell–matrix in tumor tissues . In this light, this study aimed to investigate the expression of galectin‐1, galectin‐3, galectin‐7, and galectin‐9 in AC in order to verify the relationship between these proteins and epithelial alterations of this potentially malignant disorder.…”

Galectin fingerprinting in naso-sinusal diseases

“…Human Gal-1, -3, -4, -7, -8 and -9 were produced in bacteria, purified to homogeneity, as confirmed by one-dimensional and two-dimensional gel electrophoreses, gel filtration, and mass spectrometry, and used as antigens to develop polyclonal antibodies in rabbits (36–40). The resulting IgG fractions were rigorously checked for cross-reactivity among the lectin family, with systematic testing of human Gal-1, -2, -3, -4, -7, -8 and -9 by western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.…”

Microarray Analysis of Serum mRNA in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma at Whole-Genome Scale

“…The combination of low p53 and high Bcl-XL expression is associated with poor overall survival and disease specific survival [55, 57]. The negligible effect of HNSCC treatment on the activity of the above-mentioned genes, based on the level of cRNA, can be interpreted according to our recent results demonstrating differentiation-dependent expression of the endogenous lectin galectin-9 in normal squamous cell epithelium and in cancer [58]. Although normal squamous epithelium from noncancer patients demonstrated strictly basal cell expression, the malignant epithelium of tumours and a significant amount of histologically normal epithelium from HNSCC patients were devoid of expression of this lectin.…”