Decreased expression of galectin-3 is associated with metastatic potential of liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma

作者：Junking Mutita; Wongkham Chaisiri; Sripa Banchob; Sawanyawisuth Kanlayanee; Araki Norie; Wongkham Sopit^*

来源：European Journal of Cancer, 2008, 44(4): 619-626.

DOI：10.1016/j.ejca.2008.01.014

• bile duct
• cholangiocarcinoma
• galectin
• galectin-3
• LGALS3
• liver fluke
• metastasis
• migration

Galectin-3, a beta-galactoside-binding lectin, is a multifunctional protein implicated in a variety of biological functions, including tumour cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, cancer progression and metastasis. The present study was performed to clarify the impact of galectin-3 expression on patients with liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma. Galectin-3 expression was examined immunohistochemically in 53 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, who had undergone surgery without pre-operative therapy. All bile duct epithelium expressed galectin-3 with different intensities, according to the different histological subtypes. The poorly-differentiated type expressed galectin-3 less intensely than the papillary, well-to moderately-differentiated types (P = 0.012). We observed the association of low galectin-3 expression with lymphatic invasion (P = 0.002). Suppression of galectin-3 expression in two human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines using siRNA targeted to galectin-3 significantly increased cell migration and invasion without alterations in cell proliferation. Regulation of galectin-3 expression may therefore be an alternative therapeutic approach to control metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma.

• 出版日期2008-3