Galectin-1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma: An immunohistochemical study

CONTEXT: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) of the head and neck are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with an increasing rate of mortality and morbidity. OSCCs are characterized by a high degree of local invasiveness and metastasis to cervical lymph nodes but show a lower rate of distant metastasis. Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a β-galactoside-binding lectin, is known to regulate tumor cell growth, angiogenesis, mediate cell-cell or cell-extracellular matrix adhesion and promote cancer cell migration. AIMS: This study aims to evaluate the Gal-1 expression in different clinical stages and histological grades of OSCC. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Forty histopathologically diagnosed cases of OSCC, including 16 cases of well-differentiated, 18 moderately differentiated and 6 poorly differentiated carcinomas, were included in the study group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The samples were subjected to staining using primary mouse monoclonal antibodies against Gal-1 and visualized using polymer-HRP detection system. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The nonparametric Mann–Whitney U-test and Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA test were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Gal-1 expression was higher in advanced stages of OSCC, and the results were statistically significant. Immunoexpression of Gal-1 increased with advancing histological grades of OSCC with statistically significant results. CONCLUSION: Gal-1 plays an important role in invasion, metastasis and as a prognostic marker.