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Evaluation of galectin-8 expression in thyroid tumors

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Abstract

The expression of galectin-8 (gal-8) has been shown to be altered during neoplastic transformation of certain cell types. This is the first study aimed to analyze the expression of this protein in normal and pathological human thyroid tissue. A total of 41 archival thyroid tissue samples (5 follicular adenomas, 31 papillary carcinomas, 5 follicular carcinomas) together with 36 adjacent hyperplastic or normal thyroid tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Galectin-8 was expressed in the majority of papillary carcinomas (27/31; 87%). Positive but weaker staining was also found in some of the follicular thyroid carcinomas (2/5; 40%) and adenomas (2/5; 40%). This protein was not detectable in five normal thyroid tissue samples, whereas hyperplastic areas adjacent to tumor were weakly positive in 9 out of 31cases (29%). High gal-8 immunostaining in papillary thyroid carcinoma indicates that gal-8 may potentially serve as a marker of papillary thyroid carcinoma. However, it does not seem to be helpful in the differential diagnostics of follicular carcinoma and adenoma. Further studies are required to determine biological functions and molecular mechanisms underlying the increased expression of gal-8 protein in thyroid lesions, particularly, in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science of the Republic of Serbia, project 143039 and project 143048.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy-INEP, University of Belgrade, Banatska 31b, 11080, Zemun–Belgrade, Serbia

    S. Savin, D. Cvejić, M. Janković & T. Išić

  2. Centre for Endocrine Surgery, Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Diseases of Metabolism, Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    I. Paunović

  3. Medical Faculty, Institute of Pathology, University of Belgrade, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    S. Tatić

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  1. S. Savin
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  2. D. Cvejić
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Correspondence to S. Savin.

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Savin, S., Cvejić, D., Janković, M. et al. Evaluation of galectin-8 expression in thyroid tumors. Med Oncol 26, 314–318 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-008-9122-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-008-9122-7

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