ABSTRACT
Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide and fourth most common in developing countries. Altered glycosylation pattern of cell membrane molecules along with inflammation is a characteristic attribute of oncogenesis. Galectin-4, a tandem repeat galectin, has shown effect on cancer progression/metastasis in digestive system cancers. This role of galectin-4 can be attributed to variations in LGALS4, gene encoding galectin-4. The present case-control study was designed to analyze four intronic SNPs in LGALS4 with susceptibility toward esophageal cancer.Esophageal cancer cases and age- and gender-matched apparently healthy individuals were recruited for the present study. Genotyping of rs8113319, rs4802886, rs4802887, and rs12610990 was carried out using Sanger sequencing and PCR-RFLP. MedCalc software, SNPStats and SHEsis online platform were used for statistical analysis.Genotypic analyses revealed an overall increased heterozygosity of rs12610990, rs4802886, and rs4802887, and AA genotype of rs8113319 in the study participants. Haplotypic analyses also revealed a predominance of AAAT haplotype in the cases. Moreover, combined presence of wild alleles of rs4802886 and rs4802887 could influence protection toward disease, and combined presence of wild alleles of rs12610990 and rs8113319 could influence disease susceptibility. Furthermore, a strong linkage disequilibrium was also observed between the SNPs. Further studies are underway to validate galectin-4 and its genetic variants as blood-based biomarkers in early disease diagnosis, improving treatment outcome.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Galectins are ß-galactoside-binding proteins. Galectin-4 has shown an effect on cancer progression/metastasis, especially in cancers of the digestive system. This can be attributed to altered glycosylation pattern of cell membrane molecules, which is a characteristic attribute of oncogenesis. The aim of this paper is to systematically review galectin-4 in different cancers and its role in disease progression. METHODS: The study was designed on the basis of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct were used to search relevant literature with keywords "galectin-4 AND cancer", "galectin-4", "LGALS4", and "LGALS4 AND cancer". Inclusion criteria for study selection were availability of full-text articles, articles in English language and articles relevant to current topic, that is, galectin-4 and cancer. Exclusion criteria were studies that investigated other disease conditions, interventions unrelated to cancer or galectin-4 and bias outcome. RESULTS: A total of 73 articles were retrieved after removing duplication from databases, out of which 40 studies were included in the review that followed the inclusion criteria, including low to moderate bias. These included 23 studies in digestive system, 5 in reproductive system, 4 in respiratory system, and 2 in brain and urothelial cancers. CONCLUSIONS: A differential expression of galectin-4 was observed in different cancer stages/ and types. Furthermore, galectin-4 was found to modulate disease progression. A meta-analysis and comprehensive mechanistic studies, pertaining to different aspects of galectin-4 biology, could give statistically driven correlations, elucidating multifaceted role of galectin-4 in cancer.
