Association of galectins-1 and -3 with proangiogenic factors and endothelial dysfunction in colon cancer

BACKGROUND: A key role in the pathogenesis of colon cancer is assigned to inducers of neoangiogenesis — vascular endothelial and epidermal growth factors, the effects of which can probably be modulated by galectins-1 and -3.

AIM: To study the relationship between the content of galectins-1 and -3, vascular endothelial and epidermal growth factors with the number of circulating endothelial cells in the blood of patients with colon cancer, depending on the degree of tumor differentiation and its spread.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients (n=20) with a verified diagnosis of colon cancer (International Classification of Diseases code C18–C20) were examined; the comparison group included healthy volunteers (n=10), matched by gender and age. The study material was peripheral blood. The content of galectin-1, galectin-3, vascular endothelial and epidermal growth factors was assessed by enzyme immunoassay, and counting of desquamated endothelial cells was assessed by flow cytometry. Statistical processing was performed in the Jamovi 2.3.21 software package for Windows. Differences between samples were assessed by calculating the Mann–Whitney U test. Relationships were established by calculating the Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ). The results were considered reliable at the level of statistical significance p <0.05.

RESULTS: In patients with colorectal cancer, the level of vascular endothelial factor was higher than in healthy donors by 18%, the level of galectin-1 was 2.6 times higher, galectin-3 was 1.6 times higher compared to healthy donors, the level of epidermal growth factor did not differ significantly. The content of galectins-1 and -3 was closely interrelated (ρ=0.843, p <0.01), with the content of vascular endothelial growth factor in the blood plasma (ρ=0.311, p=0.032 — galectin-1; ρ=0.310, p <0.033 — galectin-3, respectively). The number of desquamated endothelial cells in the blood of patients with colorectal cancer was 8 times higher than in healthy people, and directly correlated with the content of vascular endothelial growth factor (ρ=0.307, p <0.05), galectin-1 (ρ=0.650, p <0.01) and galectin-3 (ρ=0.622, p <0.01).

CONCLUSION: An increase in the content of galectins-1 and -3 in the blood plasma of patients with colon cancer positively correlates with the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, and does not depend on the stage of the disease and the degree of tumor differentiation.