Abstract

Galectins (gal) are multifunctional proteins whose expression changes under different physiological or pathological conditions, including cancer. However, so far, most studies have focused on gal-1 and gal-3, and to a lesser extent to gal-7 and gal-9. We still know very little about other galectins, especially the recently discovered ones, such as gal-14, a prototype galectin highly expressed at the maternal-fetal interface. Here, using in silico and in vitro approaches, we report a correlation between lgals14 expression and ovarian cancer. We found that high expression of gal-14 mRNA in ovarian cancer cells is associated with a shorter survival. Consistent with this observation, we also found that lgals14 is preferentially expressed in high grade serous adenocarcinoma (HGSA) ovarian cancer. Our in vitro data with ovarian cancer cell lines confirmed that lgals14 is readily expressed in HGSA. Interestingly, de novo expression of gal-14 in HEK-293 cells increased apoptosis, both at the basal level and following exposure to low doses of etoposide. Thus, although the study of this galectin is still in its infancy, we were able to provide novel insights into the expression patterns of this galectin and its involvement in cancer.