Profile of Plasma Galectin-3 Concentrations, Inflammatory Cytokines Levels and Lymphocytes Status in Breast Cancer under Chemotherapy

Abstract

We investigated relationship between galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels and T lymphocytes apoptosis and the activation rates in breast cancer during chemotherapy. We used plasma samples from 112 women classified into two groups: 70 women with breast cancer (BC) and submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (3 cycles) and 42 healthy women used as controls. In the group of BC, blood samples were taken before each cycle of chemotherapy and Gal-3 levels was evaluated by ELISA sandwich. Flow cytometry was used to study T cells apoptosis and activation. Before treatment, median value of Gal-3 was 6.31 ng/ml (range 1.07 -50.74) in BC and 0.84 ng/ml (range 0.00 -4.82) in HC. Gal-3 levels were highest in plasmas from BC (p < 0.001). During the same period, proportions of apoptotic T lymphocytes were highest in BC compared to HC (p < 0.05). Similar results were observed about T cells activation. According to clinical symptoms, we observed, in the group of patients with a low or null response to chemotherapy, a positive correlation between gal-3 levels and tumor size (rho = 0.48; p = 0.010). In addition, we found a dynamic relationship between gal-3 levels, tumor size and T lymphocytes apoptosis rates during treatment depending to the cure efficiency. We suggest gal-3 plasma concentrations could be used as predictive biomarker for chemotherapy efficiency in breast cancer patients.

Galectin-3 as a biomarker in breast neoplasms: Mechanisms and applications in patient care

“…Galectin‐3 could become a biomarker in several neoplastic diseases (Table 2) 133 of which there is a limited amount of data from Africa. In our previous investigation, we demonstrated that galectin‐3 plasmatic concentrations were higher in breast cancer patients compared with healthy controls and were positively correlated with breast tumor sizes 76 . Significantly higher levels of this lectin were observed in breast tumors compared with precancerous tissues as well as the triple‐negative breast cancer molecular subtype has the greatest galectin‐3 expression 134 .…”

“…In our previous investigation, we demonstrated that galectin-3 plasmatic concentrations were higher in breast cancer patients compared with healthy controls and were positively correlated with breast tumor sizes. 76 Significantly higher levels of this lectin were observed in breast tumors compared with precancerous tissues as well as the triple-negative breast cancer molecular subtype has the greatest galectin-3 expression. 134 In a study of Zhang and colleagues, 12 galectin-3 was consistently expressed in triple-negative breast carcinoma associated with specific clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features, thus making it a novel subtype-specific marker in breast cancer and a potential target for overcoming chemo-resistance.…”

“…Galectin‐3 localization in the extracellular milieu has been proven by evidence of its expression and secretion by tumor cells, stromal cells, and leukocytes such as macrophages present in the tumor microenvironment 20,67 . Moreover, other studies reported increased plasmatic levels of galectin‐3 in breast and other cancer patients 74–76 . In vitro studies have highlighted the potential role of extracellular galectin‐3 in tumor microenvironment.…”

“…20,67 Moreover, other studies reported increased plasmatic levels of galectin-3 in breast and other cancer patients. [74][75][76] In vitro studies have highlighted the potential role of extracellular galectin-3 in tumor microenvironment. Lagana and colleagues 77 showed that the addition of galectin-3 in mammary cells carcinoma culture stimulates α5β1 integrin activation, thus enhancing fibronectin-dependent tumor cell spreading and motility.…”