Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P17931 (galectin-3)
 2,860 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Craniopharyngioma is a rare benign tumour originating from Rathke's pouch. This paper reports a tumour case studied with a set of markers defining protein-carbohydrate recognition. Expression of endogenous lectins and their reactive glycoligands is under differentiation-dependent control in many cell types. These parameters can be related to the degree of cell differentiation in tumours. Therefore, the expression patterns of endogenous lectins, namely galectins-1, -3, and -7, in the craniopharyngioma case were determined. Galectins-1 and -3 were also used to reveal glycoconjugates in cells and extracellular matrices, an approach that has heretofore relied largely on plant lectins. The staining pattern of craniopharyngioma is compared with that of two other types of ectodermally derived tumours, namely basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Clusters of polygonal and flattened cells with morphological characteristics of differentiated cells in the craniopharyngioma and the majority of poorly differentiated cells in squamous cell carcinomas were reactive with galectin-3. No binding of this probe was observed in cells of basal cell carcinomas and the majority of craniopharyngioma cells. In view of the lack of accessible binding in the basal layer of normal squamous epithelia where proliferative cells (including stem cells) are located, galectin-3 binding could be used to distinguish basal from suprabasal cells of squamous epithelial cells.
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PMID:Craniopharyngioma: a case report and comparative galectin histochemical analysis. 1249 17

Spindle cell oncocytoma (SCO) is a rare sellar-region tumor recently codified in the World Health Organization (WHO) 2007 Classification as a grade I neoplasm. Despite this grading, recurrences have been demonstrated but, to date, extensive recurrent bleeding into these tumors has not been documented. A 70-year-old woman first presented in 1996 with visual difficulties and was found to have a sellar-region mass with heterogeneous neuroimaging features, leading to preoperative diagnosis of craniopharyngioma. Transsphenoidal, gross total resection was achieved despite extensive intraoperative bleeding; pathology showed an unusual spindle cell neoplasm which could not be further classified. She received no further treatment and was lost to our follow-up until 2009, when she again presented with visual deterioration. Neuroimaging demonstrated recurrence of a large sellar-region tumor with heterogeneous signal characteristics, prompting re-resection. Review of her original and recurrent tumor allowed diagnosis of SCO; extensive intratumoral hemorrhage of varying ages and widespread hemosiderin accounted for her complex neuroimaging features. Vimentin, S100, and galectin-3 immunoreactivity was consistent with SCO. EM demonstrated abundant mitochondria, short intercellular junctions, and absence of neurosecretory granules. Thyroid disease was documented clinically. SCOs are sufficiently rare that documentation of unusual features is important. Recurrent bleeding with resultant complex neuroimaging is unique to this case, but appears to overlap with a related sellar-region tumor, pituicytoma. The presence of thyroid disease also links SCO with pituicytoma. The 13-year interval to recurrence is the longest reported to date in SCO; WHO grade I designation may be premature for this neoplasm.
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PMID:Spindle cell oncocytoma with late recurrence and unique neuroimaging characteristics due to recurrent subclinical intratumoral bleeding. 2049 48

In the recent years a considerable number of different studies devoted to craniopharyngioma morphology were performed. There are more than 35 factors known up to date that could be related to the craniopharyngioma growth (Ki-67, p53, beta-catenin, p63, Retinoid acid receptors, Galectin-3, MIF, MVD, CK et al.). Despite the such a variety of factors, none of them, except for the Ki-67, strongly correlates with the risk of tumour recurrence and none can be associated with a particular tumour type. Most studies, by the way, focused on a very small number of factors and were performed in relatively small groups of patients. Most publications are devoted to the Ki-67, beta-catenin and p53 studies, and the highest number of patients enrolled to the study was 67. This survey made an attempt to review the literature on the craniopharyngioma biology and to identify further areas of research to obtain data that could affect the choice of treatment and outcome in this complex disease.
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PMID:[Biology of the craniopharyngioma]. 2365 21