The role of galectin-3 in the tumorigenesis and progression of pituitary tumors
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- Published online on: February 2, 2018 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.7931
- Pages: 4919-4925
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Copyright: © Diao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.
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Abstract
Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a β-galactoside-binding protein, has been implicated in cell proliferation, cell adhesion, and the progression and metastasis of various types of cancer. The present study investigated the involvement of Gal‑3 in the tumorigenesis and progression of pituitary tumors using three rat pituitary tumor cell lines. Following transfection with Gal-3 expression and interference vectors, the impact of Gal‑3 on proliferation, apoptosis and migration of pituitary tumor cells was been investigated. Meanwhile, BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator (Bax), caspase‑3 and matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) protein expression levels were analyzed by western blotting. The results of the present study revealed that Gal‑3 expression in GH3 and GH4C1 cells was higher than in RC‑4B/C cells. Furthermore, Gal‑3 was demonstrated to promote the proliferation and migration of GH3 and GH4C1 cells, and inhibit cell apoptosis. Caspase‑3 and MMP7 protein expression was also increased by Gal‑3, while Bax expression was decreased. These results suggested that Gal‑3 serves an important function in the tumorigenesis and development of pituitary tumors, and it may be a useful target for the treatment of pituitary tumors in the future.
