Expression of galectin-3 and carcinoembryonic antigen in the trophoblast of the gestational trophoblastic disease
Bozić, M.; Golubović, S.; Petronijević, M.; Vićovac, L.
Journal of BUON Official Journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology 9(4): 427-432
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 1107-0625 PMID: 17415850 Document Number: 583898
Galectin-3, an endogenous beta-galactoside- binding protein, has been implicated in the regulation of many physiological and pathological cellular processes through specific interactions with complementary ligands. The level of galectin-3 expression has been correlated with metastatic potential in many tumor types. The present study was designed to investigate possible correlation of the expression of galectin-3 with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), one of the putative galectin-3 ligands, in the transformed trophoblast of the gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTDs) compared to the invasive trophoblast (interstitial and endovascular) of the normal first trimester of pregnancy placenta. Double immunohistochemistry was used to examine paraffin sections of 9 specimens of normal placenta, 8 cases of invasive mole and 7 cases of choriocarcinoma. Immunoreactivity was scored semiquantitatively to include both the percent of trophoblast cells stained as well as the intensity of staining. Data presented here demonstrate similar patterns of expression for galectin-3 and CEA in transformed GTDs trophoblastic cells, as well as in normal invasive trophoblast. Upregulation of galectin-3 in transformed GTDs trophoblast was followed by high levels of CEA expression in the same tissue specimen (significant differences at < 0.05, Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Test). These results may point to the CEA as one of the ligands for galectin-3 in transformed trophoblast, which merits further investigation.