Role of Galectin-3 in Tumour Metastasis

Abstract

We used metastatic variant of B16 melanoma (B16F1) to study lung colonization galectin-3-deficient (gal-3-/-) C57BL/6 mice. In vivo study showed that compared with gal-3+/+ mice, gal-3-/-mice exhibited resistance to lung colonization of B16F1 melanoma cells (p < 0.03). In vitro assays showed higher number of attached malignant cells in the tissue section derived from gal-3+/+ mice (p < 0.001) and tumor specific cytotoxicity of lymphoid cells of tumour inoculated gal-3-/- suggesting that galectin-3 is considered as therapeutic target. © 2010 Allerton Press, Inc.