Galectin-3 Regulates the Expression of Tumor Glycosaminoglycans and Increases the Metastatic Potential of Breast Cancer

Abstract EN

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a multifunctional β-galactoside-binding lectin that once synthesized is expressed in the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell surface, and extracellular environment.

Gal-3 plays an important role in breast cancer tumors due to its ability to promote interactions between cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) elements, increasing tumor survival and metastatic dissemination.

Still, the mechanism by which Gal-3 interferes with tumor cell migration and metastasis formation is complex and not fully understood.

Here, we showed that Gal-3 knockdown increased the migration ability of 4T1 murine breast cancer cells in vitro.

Using the 4T1 orthotopic breast cancer spontaneous metastasis mouse model, we demonstrated that 4T1-derived tumors were significantly larger in the presence of Gal-3 (scramble) in comparison with Gal-3 knockdown 4T1-derived tumors.

Nevertheless, Gal-3 knockdown 4T1 cells were outnumbered in the bone marrow in comparison with scramble 4T1 cells.

Finally, we reported here a decrease in the content of cell-surface syndecan-1 and an increase in the levels of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans such as versican in Gal-3 knockdown 4T1 cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Overall, our findings establish that Gal-3 downregulation during breast cancer progression regulates cell-associated and tumor microenvironment glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)/proteoglycans (PG), thus enhancing the metastatic potential of tumor cells.