Alterations in galectin-3 expression and distribution correlate with breast cancer progression: functional analysis of galectin-3 in breast epithelial-endothelial interactions.

ABSTRACT: To define the role of galectin-3 in breast cancer progression, we have used a novel three-dimensional co-culture system that recapitulates in vivo reciprocal functional breast epithelial-endothelial cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, and examined the expression of galectin-3 mRNA and protein in human breast tumors and xenografts. Galectin-3 is required for the stabilization of epithelial-endothelial interaction networks because immunoneutralization with galectin-3 antibodies abolishes the interactions in a dose-dependent manner. Co-culture of epithelial cells with endothelial cells results in increase in levels of secreted galectin-3 and presence of proteolytically processed form of galectin-3 in the conditioned media. In contrast, intracellular galectin-3 predominantly exists in the

SUBMITTER: Shekhar MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1618700 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature