Efficacy of monthly treatment with oral fluralaner (Bravecto® 1-Month) against Tunga penetrans in dogs in Brazil: a randomized, double-blind, controlled field study.

BACKGROUND: Tungiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the adult female sand flea (Tunga penetrans). Dogs are considered important reservoirs of T. penetrans in Brazil. The aim of this study was to determine the monthly insecticidal efficacy of a single oral administration of fluralaner at a dose of 10-18 mg/kg (Bravecto® 1-Month, also registered as Defenza® in some countries; MSD Animal Health) in dogs naturally infested with T. penetrans. METHODS: This clinical trial was conducted in a rural community located in Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. A total of 64 dogs were selected and distributed in a completely randomized design between a treated group (TG) that received one single dose of Bravecto® 1-Month (Defenza®) and a negative control group (CG) that received no treatment. Each group was composed of 32 dogs. The evaluations took place on days 0, 7 ± 2, 14 ± 2, 21 ± 2, 28 ± 2, 35 ± 2, and 42 ± 2 post treatment, in which the dogs were inspected to evaluate the infestation stage and classify lesions associated with tungiasis. The primary efficacy was determined from the percentage of treated dogs free of fleas (stage II and III lesions) after administration of the formulation at each evaluation time. Secondary efficacy was based on the number of active lesions (stages II and III) in each group at each evaluation time. The clinical condition of the animals was defined based on the Severity Score for Acute Dog Tungiasis (SCADT), which is related to the number and severity of lesions. RESULTS: The primary efficacy of the product was greater than 95.0% from days 7 to 21 and reached 100.0% between days 28 and 42, with a significant association between treatment and infestation decline (P < 0.025) between days 7 and 42. Secondary drug efficacy was greater than 99.9% from days 7 to 21, reaching 100.0% between days 28 and 42 (P < 0.05). The treated dogs also scored lower on the SCADT than the control animals did during the entire clinical evaluation period (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A single administration of Bravecto® 1-Month (Defenza®) was effective in eliminating Tunga penetrans infestations, as well as in preventing parasitism for at least 42 days after treatment.

Optimized protocol for live-cell analysis of kinetochore fiber maturation in Indian muntjac cells.

Here, we take advantage of the low chromosome number (2N=6) and distinctively large kinetochores of female Indian muntjac cells to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying k-fiber maturation. We describe steps for monitoring kinetochore-microtubule dynamics over time. Specifically, we detail the combination of live-cell super-resolution CH-STED microscopy of microtubule growth events within individual k-fibers and a laser-mediated k-fiber injury/repair assay. These tools provide a direct assessment of microtubule amplification mechanisms within k-fibers in metazoans. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Almeida et al. (2022).1.

Characterization of military police officers of Alagoas affected by COVID-19.

Introduction: COVID-19 has greatly affected society by limiting the functioning of sectors of the economy and public services. Considering the essential character of many of these services, especially public security, it is necessary to understand how the disease has affected different groups within the population so that public policies for facing this problem can be implemented. Objectives: To identify and describe the profile of military police officers affected by COVID-19. Methods: This is a descriptive observational study with a quantitative approach, based on secondary data. The electronic medical records of 737 military police officers affected by COVID-19 were accessed; sociodemographic, biological, and professional data were collected, as well as data on disease progression. Data were analyzed using Bioestat® software, v5.3. Results: The peak of the COVID-19 contagion curve happened first among military police officers of the state of Alagoas than in the general population, and a positive effect of social distancing was observed in the containment of disease spread. Moreover, specialized operations units had a higher contagion rate in view of the higher level of exposure linked to their work activities. Conclusions: This study described the profile of military police officers affected by COVID-19, which can substantiate the adoption of public policies and new strategies to fight this disease among officers in Alagoas, thus ensuring the continuity of the service provided to society.

Dental Pain in Cats: A Prospective 6-Month Study.

Dental pathology is among the most ubiquitous diseases in cats of all ages. Dental pain is yet to be fully understood in cats and therefore its presence is often missed. To better understand feline dental disease as a pain trigger during routine examination and whether disease severity correlates to the degree of pain, a 6-month prospective study in a cats' only veterinary hospital in Portugal was conducted. Sixty-four cats that randomly presented for different clinical procedures were evaluated. Dental and periodontal abnormalities (primary dental parameters, PDP), as well as clinical signs related to dental pain (secondary dental parameters, SDP), were assessed. All cats underwent an oral cavity examination, upon which, the Feline Acute Pain Scale from Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CPS), was used in order to assess pain. Six PDP (periodontal disease, gingival index, calculus index, tooth resorption, tooth fracture and missing teeth) and five SDP (mouth discomfort, halitosis, hypersalivation, difficulty in holding food and several attempts at prehension of food), were compared with CPS pain scores. All SDP were significantly associated to higher CPS pain scores (p < 0.05). The number of missing teeth was significantly associated to higher CPS pain scores (p < 0.0001). A trend was observed between higher CPS pain scores and tooth resorption (p = 0.08). This study concluded that cats with dental disease feel pain during clinical examination and the pain increases as the severity of the disease progresses.

Augmin-dependent microtubule self-organization drives kinetochore fiber maturation in mammals.

Chromosome segregation in mammals relies on the maturation of a thick bundle of kinetochore-attached microtubules known as k-fiber. How k-fibers mature from initial kinetochore microtubule attachments remains a fundamental question. By combining molecular perturbations and phenotypic analyses in Indian muntjac fibroblasts containing the lowest known diploid chromosome number in mammals (2N = 6) and distinctively large kinetochores, with fixed/live-cell super-resolution coherent-hybrid stimulated emission depletion (CH-STED) nanoscopy and laser microsurgery, we demonstrate a key role for augmin in kinetochore microtubule self-organization and maturation, regardless of pioneer centrosomal microtubules. In doing so, augmin promotes kinetochore and interpolar microtubule turnover and poleward flux. Tracking of microtubule growth events within individual k-fibers reveals a wide angular dispersion, consistent with augmin-mediated branched microtubule nucleation. Augmin depletion reduces the frequency of kinetochore microtubule growth events and hampers efficient repair after acute k-fiber injury by laser microsurgery. Together, these findings underscore the contribution of augmin-mediated microtubule amplification for k-fiber self-organization and maturation in mammals.

Mitosis: Kinetochores determined against random search-and-capture.

The mechanism of chromosome biorientation during mitotic spindle assembly remains a century-old mystery. In contrast to the stochastic models that have dominated the field for decades, a new study now proposes that chromosome biorientation is instead deterministic and driven by microtubule self-organization at kinetochores.

Efficacy of oral fluralaner (Bravecto) against Tunga penetrans in dogs: A negative control, randomized field study in an endemic community in Brazil.

The sand flea Tunga penetrans is one of the zoonotic agents of tungiasis, a parasitic skin disease of humans and animals. The dog is one of its main reservoirs. This negatively controlled, randomized, double-masked clinical trial evaluated the therapeutic and residual efficacy of fluralaner for treatment of dogs naturally infested with T. penetrans. Sixty-two dogs from an endemically affected community in Brazil were randomly assigned to either receive oral fluralaner (Bravecto chewable tablets) at a dose of 25 to 56 mg fluralaner/kg body weight, or no treatment (31 dogs per group). Dogs were clinically examined using a severity score for acute canine tungiasis (SCADT), parasitological examinations as defined by the Fortaleza classification, and pictures of lesions on days 0 (inclusion and treatment), 7 ± 2, 14 ± 2, 21 ± 2, 28 ± 2, 60 ± 7, 90 ± 7, 120 ± 7 and 150 ± 7. The percentage of parasite-free dogs after treatment was >90% between days 14 and 90 post-treatment with 100% efficacy on study days 21, 28 and 60. Sand flea counts on fluralaner treated dogs were significantly lower (p<0.025) than control dogs on all counts from day 7 to 120. The number of live sand fleas on treated dogs was reduced by > 90% on day 7, > 95% on days 14 and 90, and 100% from day 21 to 60, and with a significant difference between groups from day 7 to 120. From day 7 to day 120, mean SCADT scores were significantly reduced in treated dogs with a mean of 0.10 compared to 1.54 on day 120 in untreated dogs. Therefore, a single oral fluralaner administration is effective for treating and achieving long lasting (> 12 weeks) prevention for tungiasis in dogs.

Feline oral cavity lesions diagnosed by histopathology: a 6-year retrospective study in Portugal.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of oral cavity lesions in cats, their anatomical location and histological diagnosis, and the effect of life stage, breed and sex on different diagnoses. METHODS: For this purpose, a retrospective study comprising 297 feline oral cavity lesions was performed over a 6-year period between 2010 and 2015. Histopathological records from the DNAtech Pathology Laboratory (Lisbon, Portugal) were analysed. RESULTS: The incidence of oral disease was higher in male cats (n = 173; 58.4%), mature adults (ranging from 7 to 10 years old [n = 88; 33.0%]) and in the European Shorthair breed (n = 206; 73.6%). The gingiva was the site where oral lesions were most commonly found, with 128 samples (43.1%). Incisional biopsies were used to obtain the majority of samples (n = 256; 86.2%), while excisional biopsies and punch biopsies were performed in 36 (12.1%) and five (1.7%) cases, respectively. Inflammatory and neoplastic lesions accounted for 187 (63%) and 110 (37%) of the studied cases, respectively. Malignancies were found in >80% of neoplastic cases. Feline chronic gingivostomatitis was the most common histological diagnosis (n = 116; 39.1%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (n = 49; 16.5%) and eosinophilic granuloma complex (n = 33; 11.1%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The present work, involving a large series of samples of feline oral cavity lesions, from numerous geographically scattered practices and all examined at a reference veterinary pathology laboratory, adds important new understanding of the epidemiology of feline oral disease.

Assessment of oxygen-uptake efficiency slope in healthy children and children with heart disease: Generation of appropriate reference values for the OUES variable.

BACKGROUND: Oxygen-uptake efficiency slope (OUES) is an objective measure of functional capacity that does not require a maximal effort but is considerably dependent on anthropometric variables and requires the generation of an appropriate reference value in children. This study aimed to establish normal reference values for OUES/kg in children with and without congenital heart diseases. Besides that, reference values are presented secondarily for OUES per body surface area (OUES/BSA). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS: Six hundred and seventy-six children and adolescents performed a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test (305 healthy controls and 371 individuals with congenital heart defect), between four and 21 years old (481 males and 195 females, with a mean age of 12 years). RESULTS: The OUES reference value for the classification of children and adolescents with normal functional capacity (>80% of predicted maximum oxygen uptake) was 34.63 (sensitivity 77% and specificity 83%, p < 0.05). Regarding the body surface area, considering healthy patients and those with heart disease, the cutoff value of the OUES/BSA was 1151 with sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 79%. CONCLUSIONS: OUES/kg may be an important marker tool in the differentiation between preserved or abnormal functional capacity in children and adolescents with and without congenital heart disease, even at the submaximal level of exercise.

Troponin I elevation and all-cause mortality after elective percutaneous coronary interventions.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Although troponin I (TnI) elevation and myocardial injury after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are frequent findings, their prognoses remain controversial. We aimed to determine the association between any or ≥5 times TnI elevation after elective PCI and subsequent one year mortality rates and long term survival. METHODS: Consecutive patients admitted for elective PCI between January 2013 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed by chart review in two hospitals in Rio de Janeiro. Only patients with post-PCI TnI measurements were included. Clinical, angiographic and procedural characteristics were correlated with any or ≥5 times TnI elevation, as well as 1year mortality and long term survival. RESULTS: A total of 407 interventions were included in the analysis. Post-PCI TnI elevation was observed in 74.7% of cases and ≥5 times elevations occurred in 41.3%. Age≥70years, female gender and multistenting were predictors of enzyme elevation. Prior aspirin or hypoglycemic therapy were protective factors. One year mortality was significantly associated with any TnI elevation (6.6% vs 1.05%, p=0.035) and values ≥5 times above the normal limit predicted the highest mortality rates (8.13% vs 3.14%, p=0.031). Survival of patients with single vessel disease was also adversely affected by ≥5 times enzyme elevation (log-rank: p=0.039). CONCLUSION: Troponin I elevation after elective PCI is frequent and associated with progressively higher mortality rates at 1year. A cutoff value ≥5 times the 99th percentile, currently defined as myocardial injury, appears to be an even more significant predictor of this outcome, even in lower risk subgroups.

Serum Galectin-3 Levels in Dogs with Metastatic and Non-metastatic Mammary Tumors.

Galectin-3 is implicated in tumor progression and metastasis. High levels of galectin-3 have been reported in intravasated cells in primary and metastatic tumor sites of canine malignant mammary tumors (CMMT). Nevertheless, it is still unknown whether this increase is limited to the site of the lesion or if it is a systemic feature. To better understand the pattern of the expression of galectin-3 and to investigate the possibility of using serum galectin-3 levels as a relevant biomarker in this disease, galectin-3 concentrations were determined in a series of sera from CMMT-bearing female dogs. None of the dogs included in the study had detectable metastases at the time of presentation. Animals were retrospectively divided into two groups dependent on whether or not they developed metastatic lesions during a 25-month follow-up period. Samples were collected from all dogs before surgery, 1 month after resection of the primary tumor and every 3 months during the postoperative period. Galectin-3 levels were significantly higher 1 month after than at the time of surgery (p=0.0058). Higher galectin-3 was found in samples collected 7 (p=0.0007), 10 (p=0.0061) and 13 months (p=0.0052) after surgery from dogs of the metastatic group when compared to those remaining free of development of detectable metastases. In conclusion, increased serum galectin-3 levels seem to be present in both metastatic and non-metastatic cases during the postoperative period, however, while in non-metastatic cases the values tend to return to baseline levels after surgery, in metastatic cases, levels remain persistently elevated.

From bladder to systemic syndrome: concept and treatment evolution of interstitial cystitis.

Interstitial cystitis, presently known as bladder pain syndrome, has been recognized for over a century but is still far from being understood. Its etiology is unknown and the syndrome probably harbors different diseases. Autoimmune dysfunction, urothelial leakage, infection, central and peripheral nervous system dysfunction, genetic disease, childhood trauma/abuse, and subsequent stress response system dysregulation might be implicated. Management is slowly evolving from a solo act by the end-organ specialist to a team approach based on new typing and phenotyping of the disease. However, oral and invasive treatments are still largely aimed at the bladder and are based on currently proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms. Future research will better define the disease, permitting individualization of treatment.

Hypoxia Up-Regulates Galectin-3 in Mammary Tumor Progression and Metastasis.

The tumor microenvironment encompasses several stressful conditions for cancer cells such as hypoxia, oxidative stress and pH alterations. Galectin-3, a well-studied member of the beta-galactoside-binding animal family of lectins has been implicated in multiple steps of metastasis as cell-cell and cell-ECM adhesion, promotion of angiogenesis, cell proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. However, both its aberrantly up- and down-regulated expression was observed in several types of cancer. Thus, the mechanisms that regulate galectin-3 expression in neoplastic settings are not clear. In order to demonstrate the putative role of hypoxia in regulating galectin-3 expression in canine mammary tumors (CMT), in vitro and in vivo studies were performed. In malignant CMT cells, hypoxia was observed to induce expression of galectin-3, a phenomenon that was almost completely prevented by catalase treatment of CMT-U27 cells. Increased galectin-3 expression was confirmed at the mRNA level. Under hypoxic conditions the expression of galectin-3 shifts from a predominant nuclear location to cytoplasmic and membrane expressions. In in vivo studies, galectin-3 was overexpressed in hypoxic areas of primary tumors and well-established metastases. Tumor hypoxia thus up-regulates the expression of galectin-3, which may in turn increase tumor aggressiveness.

Anti-influenza neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir phosphate induces canine mammary cancer cell aggressiveness.

Oseltamivir phosphate is a widely used anti-influenza sialidase inhibitor. Sialylation, governed by sialyltransferases and sialidases, is strongly implicated in the oncogenesis and progression of breast cancer. In this study we evaluated the biological behavior of canine mammary tumor cells upon oseltamivir phosphate treatment (a sialidase inhibitor) in vitro and in vivo. Our in vitro results showed that oseltamivir phosphate impairs sialidase activity leading to increased sialylation in CMA07 and CMT-U27 canine mammary cancer cells. Surprisingly, oseltamivir phosphate stimulated, CMT-U27 cell migration and invasion capacity in vitro, in a dose-dependent manner. CMT-U27 tumors xenograft of oseltamivir phosphate-treated nude mice showed increased sialylation, namely α2,6 terminal structures and SLe(x) expression. Remarkably, a trend towards increased lung metastases was observed in oseltamivir phosphate-treated nude mice. Taken together, our findings revealed that oseltamivir impairs canine mammary cancer cell sialidase activity, altering the sialylation pattern of canine mammary tumors, and leading, surprisingly, to in vitro and in vivo increased mammary tumor aggressiveness.

[Complications of Hypogastric Arteries Embolization in EVAR]. / Complicações Secundárias à Embolização da Artéria Ilíaca Interna no EVAR.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is dedicated to assess the risks of the embolization of the hypogastric arteries following the endovascular management of aorto-iliac aneurysms, looking at the incidence and nature of the most common complications, in the unilateral "versus" bilateral embolization with coils. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was made on the subject, including the outcome of patients who underwent unilateral versus bilateral embolization of hypogastric arteries with coils in the EVAR. RESULTS: The most common complications were buttock claudication and erectile disfunction, with an estimation respectively of 28% and 15%, independently of the unilateral or bilateral procedure. Less commonly, colonic ischemia was found in 2%, as well as spinal cord ischemia, also found in 2%. CONCLUSIONS: The embolization of the hypoastric arteries may extend the field of utilization of the EVAR, however it cannot be regarded as an innocuous procedure. This systematic review suggests that more complications can be expected in patients who underwent bilateral versus unilateral embolization, namely related to buttock claudication. However, a similar evidence could not be demonstrated with erectile disfunction.

Aberrant P-cadherin expression is associated to aggressive feline mammary carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Cadherins are calcium-dependent cell-to-cell adhesion glycoproteins playing a critical role in the formation and maintenance of normal tissue architecture. In normal mammary gland, E-cadherin is expressed by luminal epithelial cells, while P-cadherin is restricted to myoepithelial cells. Changes in the expression of classical E- and P-cadherins have been observed in mammary lesions and related to mammary carcinogenesis. P-cadherin and E-cadherin expressions were studied in a series of feline normal mammary glands, hyperplastic/dysplastic lesions, benign and malignant tumours by immunohistochemistry and double-label immunofluorescence. RESULTS: In normal tissue and in the majority of hyperplastic/dysplastic lesions and benign tumours, P-cadherin was restricted to myoepithelial cells, while 80% of the malignant tumours expressed P-cadherin in luminal epithelial cells. P-cadherin expression was significantly related to high histological grade of carcinomas (p <0.0001), tumour necrosis (p = 0.001), infiltrative growth (p = 0.0051), and presence of neoplastic emboli (p = 0.0401). Moreover, P-cadherin positive carcinomas had an eightfold likelihood of developing neoplastic emboli than negative tumours. Cadherins expression profile in high grade and in infiltrative tumours was similar, the majority expressing P-cadherin, regardless of E-cadherin expression status. The two cadherins were found to be co-expressed in carcinomas with aberrant P-cadherin expression and preserved E-cadherin. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate a relationship between P-cadherin expression and aggressive biological behaviour of feline mammary carcinomas, suggesting that P-cadherin may be considered an indicator of poor prognosis in this animal species. Moreover, it indicates that, in queens, the aberrant expression of P-cadherin is a better marker of mammary carcinomas aggressive behaviour than the reduction of E-cadherin expression. Further investigation with follow-up studies in feline species should be conducted in order to evaluate the prognostic value of P-cadherin expression in E-cadherin positive carcinomas.

Differential expression of galectin-1 and galectin-3 in canine non-malignant and malignant mammary tissues and in progression to metastases in mammary tumors.

BACKGROUND: Galectin-1 and galectin-3 are carbohydrate-binding proteins that have been implicated in the pathobiology of several types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression pattern of both these galectins in canine non-neoplastic mammary tissues and mammary tumors (CMT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Protein and mRNA expression of galectin-1 and -3 were assessed in 12 benign and 41 malignant CMT. RESULTS: Galectin-1 was overexpressed in the majority of malignant CMT cases in tumor cells and stroma. Its expression in malignant tumor cells was associated with smaller-sized tumours. Distant metastases presented a strong intensity of galectin-1 and reduced galectin-3 expression, while the opposite was observed in circulating tumor cells. Interestingly intravascular tumor cells presented galectin-3 up-regulation at the mRNA level. Double-labelling further made it clear that galectin-3 and galectin-1 expression did not overlap in normal-adjacent mammary and CMT cells. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our data suggest that malignant CMT cell sub-populations have alternating expression of galectin-1 or -3. This might confer survival advantage to tumour cells in different phases of tumour progression.

Sialylation regulates galectin-3/ligand interplay during mammary tumour progression--a case of targeted uncloaking.

Galectin-3 is involved both in facilitating detachment of cells from primary tumour sites and favouring cancer cell adhesion and survival to anoikis in the blood stream. The mechanisms behind these apparently contradictory roles of the lectin have not yet been resolved. In order to investigate possible interplays between galectin-3 and its ligands underlying their role in the metastatic process, we examined mucin-1 (MUC1) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), well-known galectin-3 ligands, as well as galectin-3-binding site expression in a series of spontaneous canine malignant mammary tumours (CMMT) and a metastatic CMMT cell line. Despite the fact that CMMT cells expressed MUC1 and EGFR homogeneously over their plasma membrane, intravascular tumour cells, positive for galectin-3, expressed MUC1 and EGFR in a more focal membrane localization. Moreover, MUC1 overexpression in primary CMMT was present in parallel with down-regulation of galectin-3. Furthermore, in the CMT-U27 cell line, galectin-3 knock-down led to increased MUC1 expression, while MUC1 knock-down led to down-regulation of the lectin. Finally, removal of sialic acid from both CMMT and CMT-U27 xenograft samples exposed galectin-3-ligands throughout the tumour tissue, whereas these ligands were only present in galectin-3-positive invading cells in untreated samples. Interestingly indeed, we show that in vessel-invading cells, there is interaction between galectin-3 and the T antigen in vivo. We therefore hypothesized that loss of galectin-3 and sialylation-related masking of its ligands, in conjunction with their overexpression in specific tumour cell subpopulations, are crucial in regulating adhesive/de-adhesive events in the progression and invasive capacity of metastatic cells.

Coordinated expression of galectin-3 and galectin-3-binding sites in malignant mammary tumors: implications for tumor metastasis.

Galectin-3 is a glycan-binding protein that mediates cell-cell and/or cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. Although galectin-3 is implicated in the progression of various types of cancers, the mechanisms by which galectin-3 enhances metastasis remain unclear. In order to elucidate the role of galectin-3 in the complex multistage process of cancer metastasis, we examined galectin-3 and galectin-3-binding site expression in a series of 82 spontaneous canine mammary tumors (CMT) and two CMT cell lines. Benign CMT tumors exhibited strong nuclear/cytoplasmic galectin-3 immunostaining, whereas malignant CMT tumors and metastases exhibited dramatically decreased galectin-3 expression with the majority of the immunostaining confined to the cytoplasm. Interestingly, intravascular tumor cells overexpressed galectin-3 regardless of their location. CMT-U27 xenografts displayed the same pattern of galectin-3 expression found in spontaneous malignant CMT. In parallel with the downregulation of galectin-3, malignant CMT displayed an overall loss of galectin-3-binding sites in the ECM and focal expression of galectin-3-binding sites mainly detected in intravascular tumor cells and endothelium. Furthermore, loss of galectin-3-binding sites was correlated with the downregulation of GLT25D1, a ß (1-O) galactosyltransferase that modifies collagen, and upregulation of stromal galectin-1. Finally, GLT25D1 mRNA expression was strikingly downregulated in malignant CMT-U27 compared with the benign cell line, and its expression was further decreased in a galectin-3 knockdown CMT-U27 cell line. We therefore hypothesized that the loss of galectin-3-binding sites in the ECM in conjunction with the overexpression of galectin-3 in specific tumor cell subpopulations are crucial events for the development of mammary tumor metastases.