Expression of galectins on microvessel endothelial cells and their involvement in tumour cell adhesion.

Abstract

Lactoside-binding lectins (galectins) with molecular weights of about 14.5 kDa (galectin-1) and 29-35 kDa (galectin-3) bind preferentially to polylactosaminoglycan-containing glycoconjugates and have been found on the surface of tumour cells and implicated in cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion and metastasis. We have demonstrated by immunoblotting that both galectin-1 and galectin-3 are present in extracts of endothelial cells cultured from bovine aorta, rat lung, mouse lung and mouse brain microvessels, whereas mouse hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells expressed primarily galectin-1. These galectins were also localized by indirect immunofluorescent labelling on the surface of the different endothelial cells in culture and by immunohistochemical staining in human tissues in vivo. Anti-galectin-1 antibodies inhibited the adhesion of liver-preferring murine RAW117-H10 large-cell lymphoma cells to hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells or lung microvessel endothelial cells in vitro. The data indicate that galectin-1 is expressed on the extracellular surface of endothelial cells and can mediate in part the adhesion of RAW117-H10 cells to liver microvessel endothelial cells.

• Authors: R Lotan, P N Belloni, R J Tressler, D Lotan, X C Xu, G L Nicolson
• Journal: Glycoconjugate journal (Glycoconj J) Vol. 11 Issue 5 Pg. 462-8 (Oct 1994) ISSN: 0282-0080 [Print] United States
• PMID: 7696849 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Differentiation
• Galectin 1
• Galectin 3
• Hemagglutinins
• Lectins

Topics

• Animals
• Antigens, Differentiation (metabolism)
• Cattle
• Cell Adhesion
• Cell Membrane (metabolism)
• Cells, Cultured
• Endothelium, Vascular (cytology, metabolism)
• Galectin 1
• Galectin 3
• Hemagglutinins (immunology, metabolism)
• Lectins (immunology, metabolism)
• Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse (metabolism, pathology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Rats
• Tumor Cells, Cultured