Published in:
01-06-2011 | Original Article
Myenteric Denervation Downregulates Galectin-1 and -3 Expression in Gastric Carcinogenesis
Published in: Digestive Diseases and Sciences | Issue 6/2011
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Background
This study evaluated the galectin-1 and -3 expression during N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced gastric carcinogenesis in denervated rat stomachs using benzalkonium chloride.
Method
Four experimental situations were evaluated: nondenervated and denervated stomachs without lesions and nondenervated and denervated stomachs with lesions. Sections of the pyloric region were stained with toluidine blue and incubated with mouse monoclonal anti-Gal-1 and rabbit polyclonal anti-Gal-3 for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis, respectively.
Result
MNNG caused the development of benign and malignant epithelial lesions, which were more pronounced in nondenervated stomachs with lesions and accompanied by inflammatory cell-enriched stroma. By immunostaining, the epithelial cells, blood vessels, muscle layer, and myenteric plexus were Gal-1 and -3 positive. Gal-3 was also detected in the gastric crypts, mucus secretion, and fibroblasts of pyloric fragments. Development of lesions in denervated stomachs was associated with a significant decrease in Gal-1 and -3 expression in epithelial cells, mast cells, and neutrophil cytoplasm, compared with that of nondenervated stomach lesions (P < 0.01; P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion
These results demonstrate that myenteric denervation downregulates endogenous Gal-1 and -3 expression, which might inhibit tumor development in this experimental model.