溃疡性结肠炎患者结肠组织中半乳糖凝集素-3的表达及其意义

Expression and significance of Galectin-3 in colonic tissues of patients with ulcerative colitis

目的探讨半乳糖凝集素(Galectin)-1和Galectin-3在溃疡性结肠炎(UC)患者结肠组织中的表达及其意义。方法应用免疫组织化学SP法检测47例UC和20例正常对照者结肠组织中Galectin-1和Galectin-3的蛋白表达情况,以胞质或胞核中出现明显的棕黄色颗粒为阳性细胞,根据染色强度及阳性细胞数进行光镜下半定量分析。结果 Galectin-1在UC肠上皮细胞中呈弱表达或无表达,半定量分析结果均为阴性。Galectin-3在所有结肠组织切片的上皮细胞中均有表达,在UC炎症组织的肠上皮细胞中的表达较正常组显著降低,且活动期比缓解期的表达明显减少,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05),但是Galectin-3的表达和UC患者的年龄、性别、病程均无明显相关性。Galectin-1和Galectin-3在淋巴细胞中均无表达,但有2例UC肠组织中出现了组织细胞及浆细胞Galectin-3表达阳性。结论 Galectin-3在UC炎症组织上皮细胞中的表达显著下调,与UC的炎症活动相关,可能参与肠黏膜上皮细胞的凋亡过程,但是其与炎症细胞凋亡的相关性尚需进一步探讨。该组资料显示Galectin-1不参与UC的发病过程,可能与UC肠黏膜上皮的凋亡过程无关。

【Objective】 To explore the expression of Galectin-3 protein in colonic tissues of patients with ulcerative colitis（UC）. 【Methods】 Immunohistochemical SP method was applied to detect the expression of Galectin-1 and Galectin-3 in colonic tissues of 47 cases of UC and 20 cases of normal controls. It was regarded as positive cell when obvious dark brown granules appeared in cytoplasm or cyteblast. Semi-quantitative analysis was used basing on the staining intensity and positive cells. 【Results】 Galectin-1 proteins showed no expression in intestinal epithelium of UC patients. Expressions of Galectin-3 were markedly reduced in UC inflammatory tissues, and it was also significantly different between UC patients at the active stage and those at remission stage（P〈0.05）. However, galectin-3 was not associated with the age and sex of patients, and the course of UC. Galectin-1 and galectin-3 showed no expression in lymphocytes, but it was interesting that Galectin-3 was positive in bistiocytes and phlogocytes in two cases. 【Conclusion】 Expressions of Galectin-3 were markedly reduced in UC inflammatory tissues, and it was associated with inflammatory activity. It may be used as a marker of disease activity in UC, and it may involved in the apoptosis of UC intestinal epithelium cells. However, it is still unknown whether it is associated with apoptosis of inflammatory cells of UC intestinal epithelium. In the study, Galectin-1 did not play a role in the pathogenesis of UC, and it is not associated with the apoptosis of intestinal epithelium tissues.