The levels of expression of galectin-3, but not of galectin-1 and galectin-8, correlate with apoptosis in human cholesteatomas

Objectives: To investigate whether galectins 1, 3, and 8 are expressed in human cholestesatomas and whether any such expression does correlate with the level of apoptosis, which is, as we have previously shown, predictive of recurrence,(7) Study Design: The analysis of 52 cholesteatomas resected by the same surgeon by means of canal wall up and canal wall down procedures. Methods: The immunohistochemical levels of expression of galectins 1, S, and 8 were quantitatively determined (using computer-assisted microscopy) on conventional histological slides by means of specific anti-galectin-1, anti-galectin-3, and anti-galectin-8 antibodies. The level of apoptosis in each cholesteatoma under study had already been determined(7) by means of the in situ labeling of nuclear DNA fragmentation (Tolt-mediated dUTP nick: end labeling [TUNEL] staining). Results: Galectin-1 was expressed markedly in both the epithelial and the connective tissue areas of all the cholesteatomas under study, The levels of expression of galectin-3 and galectin-8 were considerably lower than that of galectin-1, The level of expression of galectin-3 correlated both highly and positively with the level of apoptosis, Conclusions: An upregulation of galectin-3 (known to have an antiapoptotic and antianoikis effect in certain model systems) expression, which is associated with pronounced apoptotic activity, could have a physiologically protective effect against the characteristically substantial apoptotic features occurring in recurrent cholesteatomas.