INVESTIGADORES
RABINOVICH Gabriel Adrian
artículos
Título:
Hierarchical and selective roles of galectins in hepatocarcinogenesis, liver fibrosis and inflammation of hepatocellular carcinoma
Autor/es:
BACIGALUPO, M; MANZI, M; RABINOVICH, G; TRONCOSO, M.F.
Revista:
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
Editorial:
W J G PRESS
Referencias:
Lugar: Beijing; Año: 2013 vol. 19 p. 8831 - 8849
ISSN:
1007-9327
Resumen:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a global health problem. Infections with hepatitis B or C virus, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis disease, alcohol abuse, or dietary exposure to aflatoxin are the major risk factors to the development of this tumor. Regardless of the carcinogenic insult, HCC usually develops in a context of cirrhosis due to chronic inflammation and advanced fibrosis. Galectins are a family of evolutionarily-conserved proteins defined by at least one carbohydrate recognition domain with affinity for β-galactosides and conserved sequence motifs. Here, we summarize the current literature implicating galectins in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC). Expression of ?proto-type? galectin-1, ?chimera-type? galectin-3 and ?tandem repeat-type? galectin-4 is up-regulated in HCC compared to normal hepatocytes. On the other hand, the ?tandem-repeat-type? lectins galectin-8 and galectin-9 are down-regulated in tumor hepatocytes. The abnormal expression of these galectins correlates with tumor growth, HCC cell migration and invasion, tumor aggressiveness, metastasis, postoperative recurrence and poor prognosis. Moreover, these galectins have important roles in other pathological conditions of the liver, where chronic inflammation and/or fibrosis take place. Galectin-based therapies have been proposed to attenuate liver pathologies. Further functional studies are required to delineate the precise molecular mechanisms through which galectins contribute to HCC.