Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2005 Jun;48(6):760-764.

Immunohistochemical Expression of Galectin-3 in Thyroid Tumors

• Yoo CK
• Lee CH
• Jang SG
• Woo JS
• Jung KY
• Kwon SY
• Kim IS
• Kim SH

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside binding protein that has been reported to be implicated in numerous biologic and pathologic functions including cell growth, cell adhesion, inflammation, neoplastic transformation, and apoptosis. Most previous studies in thyroid tissue have found galectin-3 expression to be a feature of malignant and not of benign or normal tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of galectin-3 in 57 thyroid lesions, to assess its potential as a marker in the diagnosis and classification of thyroid malignancy. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The followings were studied: 19 cases of papillary carcinomas, 8 of follicular carcinomas, one anaplastic carcinoma, one medullary carcinoma, 16 follicular adenomas, and 12 nodular hyperplasia. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded thyroid tissues were stained immunohistochemically for galectin-3. RESULTS: Galectin-3 expression was found in all cases, however, it was strong in papillary carcinomas than in follicular carcinomas or adenomas. In nodular hyperplasia, galectin-3 expression was very weak and focal. A significant difference was not found in the expression of galectin-3 between follicular carcinomas and follicular adenomas. CONCLUSION: Galectin-3 is a reliable marker of papillary carcinoma but not useful in identifying follicular carcinoma.

Keyword

Thyroid gland, carcinoma; Galectin 3; Immunohistochemistry

MeSH Terms

Adenoma
Apoptosis
Carcinoma
Carcinoma, Medullary
Carcinoma, Papillary
Carrier Proteins
Cell Adhesion
Classification
Diagnosis
Galectin 3*
Hyperplasia
Immunohistochemistry
Inflammation
Thyroid Gland*
Carrier Proteins
Galectin 3