| Budget Amount *help |
¥14,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥14,800,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥3,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥11,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,300,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Galectin is an animal lectin that recognizes β-galatosides of glycoconjugates and is abundant in the gut and urogenital tract. This study revealed the cellular expression of galectin subtypes in the digestive tract, kidney and ovary of mice by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Signals for five subtypes (galectin-2,-3,-4/6, and-7) were detected exclusively in the epithelia of digestive tract. In the glandular stomach, galectin-2 and-4/6 were predominantly expressed from the gastric pits to neck of gastric glands, where mucous cells were the main cellular sources. The small intestine exhibited intense, maturation-associated expressions of galectin-2,-3, and-4/6. In the large intestine, galectin-4/6 were predominated, and the upper half of crypts simultaneously contained transcripts of galectin-3. Stratified epithelium from the lip to forestomach and anus intensely expressed galectin-7 with weak expressions of galectin-3. In the urinary system, the major subtype was galectin-3, which was expressed in the collecting ducts and transitional epithelium continuously from the kidney to the distal end of the urethra, suggesting selective expression of galectin-3 in epithelia of uretic bud and cloaca-derivatives. Galectin-1 and-3 were predominant in the ovary. The corpus luteum at particular stages of regression intensely expressed both types of galectins. Galectin-3 was restricted to regressing corpus luteum and always coincident to the expression of a progesterone degradation enzyme. The signal intensity of galectin-1 first increased at the starting point of regression followed by increasing expression of galectin-3. This finding suggest that galectin-1 and-3 may mediate the progesterone production and metabolism in luteal cells via different mechanisms. Because multi-functions of galectins, information on their cell/stage-specific expression contributes to a better understanding of the functions and pathological involvements of galectins.
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