[Analysis of expression of LGALS3BP gene in thyroid tissues and peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer]

Abstract

Introduction: Galectin-3 (Gal-3), coding by LGALS3BP gene, is a protein of the lectin family that has been associated with neoplastic processes and seems to play an important role in a variety of cell biological processes. In the thyroid gland, the high expression of this protein has been described in differentiated carcinomas, especially in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

Aim: Analysis of Gal-3 protein expression in PTC and nodular goiters; investigation of Gal-3 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in patients with PTC and nodular goiter; analysis of correlation between Gal-3 protein expression in PTC and Gal-3 mRNA in PBL of the same patient.

Material and methods: Gal-3 protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in benign (27 multinodular goiters) and malignant (30 papillary carcinomas) thyroid tissues and galectin-3 mRNA expression by real-time PCR in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from 90 patients with multinodular goiter (n = 27), papillary carcinoma (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 33).

Results: In PTC we observed increased expression of Gal-3 protein (all 30 cases) in cytoplasm, nucleus and cell membranes of cancer cells. 23 of 27 benign thyroid nodular goiters were negative for Gal-3 expression. In all examined blood samples we observed higher LGALS3BP gene expression than GAPDH (house keeping gene) with no difference between both groups, without relation to the Gal-3 expression in PTC.

Conclusions: There is no difference in Gal-3 expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer in relation to nodular goiter.