Increased expression of galectin-1 in carcinoma-associated stroma predicts poor outcome in prostate carcinoma patients

J Pathol. 2001 Jan;193(1):80-7. doi: 10.1002/1096-9896(2000)9999:9999<::AID-PATH730>3.0.CO;2-2.

Abstract

Galectin-1, a member of the beta-galactoside-binding galectin family, is a pleiotropic dimeric protein participating in a variety of normal and pathological processes, including cancer progression. Modulation of the interactions with the basement membrane glycoprotein laminin and induction of apoptosis in activated T lymphocytes are well-known functions of this galectin. In this study, the expression of galectin-1 was examined in 148 human primary prostate carcinoma samples. Immunohistochemical staining of paraffin sections of prostate tissues revealed that galectin-1 was not detected in normal, PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia) or carcinoma cells, but accumulated in the stroma and associated fibroblasts. Galectin-1 expression was significantly increased in the tumour-associated stroma compared with the non-neoplastic gland-associated stroma in 21.3% of the cases (Mantel-Haenszel test, p=0.001; Wilcoxon signed rank test, p<0.0001). Increased galectin-1 expression in the cancer-associated stroma compared to the normal gland-associated stroma (p=0.03) was identified by multivariate analysis as a strong independent predictor of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence, just after the pathological stage (p<0.0001). The association between accumulation of galectin-1 in the stroma of the malignant tissue and aggressiveness of the tumour adds weight to the body of evidence that identifies a role for galectin-1 in the acquisition of the invasive phenotype. In addition to modulating cancer cell interactions with laminin, galectin-1 accumulated around the cancer cells may act as an immunological shield by inducing activated T-cell apoptosis. This exciting hypothesis warrants further investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Disease Progression
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Galectin 1
  • Hemagglutinins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Lectins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Prognosis
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / metabolism
  • Prostatectomy
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / surgery
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Galectin 1
  • Hemagglutinins
  • Lectins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen