• Galectin-1 modifies cell volume regulation and chemoresistance through integrins pathways in human hepatocellular carcinoma

CARABIAS, P; SARRIAS L; SARTI F; TRONCOSO, MF; ESPELT, MV

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunion conjunta SAIC-SAFIS-SAI; 2022

Galectin-1 (Gal1) is a β-galactoside-binding protein overexpressed in many cancers. In a recent work we demonstrated that Gal1 induced chemoresistance when it was overexpressed in a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line. Also, it was shown that Gal1 binds to β1-integrin (INTb1) and that both proteins through their interaction induces chemoresistance. This integrin is also an osmosensor in hepatic cells. So, the aim of this work was to describe Gal1 overexpression (Gal1o) effect on INTb1 activation and localization, and cell volume regulation (CVR) in HCC cells. We also investigated if Gal1o effect on CVR and chemoresistance depend on integrin signaling pathway. We worked with the HCC cell line HepG2. Immunofluorescence experiments showed that Gal1o induced plasma membrane expression of active INTb1 while in control cells (CC) its expression was mainly intracellular. Active INTb1 localization at plasma membrane in CC was promoted by incubation with hypotonic medium while Gal1o did not further modify active UNTb1 localization. In bright field microscopy (planimetry) experiments, we quantified volume regulatory capability of cells incubated in hypotonic medium. We used RVD40 parameter (% of the maximum volume reached after 40 min of incubation). Gal1o reduced the ability of cells to regulate their volume respect to CC (RVD40=35.46±1.06% vs 93.03±3.05% respectively, p