Purpose: To determine the Galectin-1 protein expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Methods: Comparative proteomic analysis of an in vitro cellular carcinogenesis model of OSCC we previously established was performed to identify differentially expressed proteins. Galectin-1 was further validated in vitro (human immortalized oral epithelia cell line and OSCC lines) and in vivo (tissue samples from OSCC patients) by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively.
Results: Increased Galectin-1 protein expression was identified in the cancerous cell line compared with the immortalized oral epithelial cell line in the in vitro cellular carcinogenesis model, and then validated in the OSCC lines and cancerous tissues. Galectin-1 protein expression was negatively correlated with the tumor pathologic differentiation grades, a higher Galectin-1 protein expression indicating a poorer pathologic differentiation grade.
Conclusions: Galectin-1 protein expression level increases in OSCC, it may serve as a candidate marker for pathologic differentiation grade of OSCC.