Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This studyaimed to clarify that the activated pancreatic stellate cells (PaSCs) are theorigin of the highly expressed galectin-1 in the stroma of pancreatic ductaladenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissue and to evaluate the effect of the secretedgalectin-1 on proliferation and invasion ability of pancreatic cancer cell lineCFPAC-1 in vitro.

METHODS: Different kinds of PaSCs were isolated from the normal or cancerouspancreatic tissues and cultured. Immunohistochemistry study, quantitativepolymerase chain reaction, and Western blot were carried out to check thecellular origin of galectin-1 in PDAC tissue. By using modified Boydenchambers, in vitro coculture system of PaSCs was established with thepancreatic cancer cell line CFPAC-1 and based on which we assessed theproliferation and invasion ability of CFPAC-1 with or without galectin-1antagonists.

RESULTS: We identified PaSCs as the primary source of the highly expressedgalectin-1 in PDAC stroma. Galectin-1 secreted by PaSCs increased CFPAC-1proliferative rate in the proliferation assay and facilitated CFPAC-1infiltration in the invasion assay.

CONCLUSIONS: Under malignant circumstances, PaSCs express and secretgalectin-1, which could further promote the proliferation and invasion ofcancer cells.