Galectin-3 Expression In Endometrial Pathology

IntroductionEndometrial carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumor of the female genital tract.Many patients with endometrial carcinoma are in their 50's and 5% of them are under age 40. To know the mechanism of the genesis and development of endometrial carcinoma is very important for diagnosis and estimate the prognosis of this disease, as well as for searching a new target for the treatment of endometrial carcinoma. Galectin-3 was recently described as a tumor accelerant implicated in the development of many kinds of tumors. We detected the expression of Galectin-3 and in the endometrial lesions to explore its function in the genesis and development of endometrial adenocarcinoma.ObjectiveThis study evaluated the expression of galectin-3 from normal proliferative endometrium, complex hyperplastic endometrium, atypical hyperplastic endometrium, and endometrial adenocarcinoma.To explore the relationship between the expression of galectin-3 and the the genesis and development of endometrial adenocarcinoma.MethodsThis study evaluated the expressions of galectin-3 using immunohistochemistry in normal proliferative endometrium (NE, n=10), complex hyperplasia (CH, n=9), atypical hyperplasia (AH, n=14), endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EC, n=65).The standard of galectin-3 expression:Cells filled with yellow or brown granules in cytoplasm were considered as positive immunostained cells. Immunostaining was scored with regard to the approximate percentage of positive tumor cells and relative staining intensity.The extent of positivity was scored as follows: 0,0; 1,≤10%; 2,11-50%; 3,51-75%; and4,≥75%.The intensity was scored as follows: 0,negative; 1,weak yellow; 2, brown; and 3,deep brown. The final score was obtained by multiplying the extent of positivity and intensity scores, Scores≥3 were defined as positivity.Results1. The expression of galectin-3 in Endometrial pathology:The positive percent of galectin-3 in normal proliferative endometrium, complex hyperplasia,atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma was 3/10 (3/10), 1/3(3/9), 78.57 % (11/14)和87.69 % (57/65) respectively. The scores of immunostaining increased significantly from NE, CH,to AH and the adenocarcinomas. Subsequently, two significantly different levels of galectin-3 expression were found. These consisted of (a) NE and CH, (b) AH and EC. There was a significant increase in the expression of galectin-3 from NE and cH to AH and EC, (p＜0.05).2. Association between the expression galectin-3 and adenocarcinomas clinicopathological feature:To evaluate the positive expression of galectin-3 in histological grades of G1, G2, G3 were 80.00% (20/25),83.33% (15/18)and 100.00 % (22/22).Galectin-3 expression increased with tumor grade. There was significant statistical increase between G1 to G3, P=0.0346 (p＜0.05).But there is no difference significantly among different clinical stages,muscle invasions and lymphatic metastasis of endometrial carcinoma (P＞0.05).ConclusionsThis study shows that galectin-3 expression increases from normal and hyperplastic to atypical hyperplastic and cancerous states of endometrial tissues, and provides further evidence of a relationship between AH and EC. Galectin-3is closely associated with the development of endometrioid adenocarcinoma.