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. 2012 Jun;138(6):1035-43.
doi: 10.1007/s00432-012-1178-2. Epub 2012 Feb 25.

The expressions and clinical significances of tissue and serum galectin-3 in pancreatic carcinoma

Ling Xie  1 , Wen-Kai Ni, Xu-Dong Chen, Ming-Bing Xiao, Bu-You Chen, Song He, Cui-Hua Lu, Xiao-Yan Li, Feng Jiang, Run-Zhou Ni
Affiliations

The expressions and clinical significances of tissue and serum galectin-3 in pancreatic carcinoma

Ling Xie et al. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2012 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Galectin-3, a member of the beta-galactoside-binding protein family, is involved in many biological processes, including cell proliferation, regulating cell cycle, angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, metastasis, etc. The aim of this study is to elucidate the relationship between galectin-3 and clinicopathological variables and to evaluate the clinical significance of serum galectin-3 in the diagnosis of pancreas carcinoma.

Methods: Galectin-3 expression in 78 pairs of pancreatic carcinoma tissues and the adjacent nontumorous tissues was tested by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between galectin-3 expression and clinical variables was analyzed. A sensitive method of time-resolved fluorescence immunological assay (TRFIA) for the detection of galectin-3 was established, and serum galectin-3 in cases with different pancreatic diseases was measured by TRFIA and ELISA. Further we compared the sensitivity and specificity of determining galectin-3, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen199 (CA199) for diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma and assessed the complementary diagnostic value of galectin-3, CEA and CA199 for pancreatic carcinoma.

Results: Immunohistochemistry showed that galectin-3 expression was significantly higher in the human pancreatic carcinoma tissues than in the adjacent nontumorous tissues. The expression levels were correlated with the differentiation degree with the higher expression in poor differentiation tissues. Serum galectin-3 detected by both TRFIA and ELISA was much higher in patients with pancreatic carcinoma than in other groups. Serum galectin-3 was not correlated with CEA and CA199. Combined determination of these three markers has the complementary diagnostic value for human pancreatic carcinoma and may increase the diagnostic sensitivity to 97.5%.

Conclusions: Galectin-3 is overexpressed in pancreatic carcinoma tissues, and it is correlated with the tumor differentiation. Serum galectin-3 is higher in cases with pancreatic carcinoma than in benign pancreatic diseases and healthy persons. Combined determination of serum galectin-3, CEA and CA199 may improve the diagnostic power for pancreatic carcinoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Immunohistochemical staining of galectin-3 in adjacent nontumorous and pancreatic adenocarcinoma tissues. Tissue sections were stained with antibodies against galectin-3 and counterstained with hematoxylin. a Galectin-3 negative staining (−) was shown in adjacent nontumorous tissues. b–d Galectin-3 immunoreactivity was detected in well, moderately and poorly differentiated pancreatic adenocarcinoma with staining (+, ++ and +++) predominant in the cytoplasm (×400)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Scatterplot of serum galectin-3 level detected by TRIFA and ELISA
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
ROC curves of serum galectin-3 as detected by TRFIA and ELISA for the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Scatterplot of serum levels of CEA and CA199 in different pancreas diseases and healthy subjects
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
ROC curve of serum levels of CEA and CA199 for the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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