Sodium butyrate induces growth inhibition and modulates galectin-8 expression in human lung carcinoma cells

Galectins are animal lectins, which may play a role in neoplastic transform ation. Po66-Carbohydrate Binding Protein (Po66-CBP) belongs to the galectin -8 family and is expressed in lung tumor cells but not in normal ones. Rece nt studies showed that galectin-8 could he used for human lung squamous cel l carcinoma radioimmunotherapy. To optimize this method of treatment, we at tempted to increase galectin-8 expression in human lung tumor cells. A huma n lung squamous (SK-MES-1) or adeno (A 549) carcinoma cell line was grown w ith ol without sodium butyrate. Cell growth, morphology transcriptional, ex pression translational expression and cellular localization of galectin-8 w ere studied. 3 mM of sodium butyrate inhibited the two cell lines' growth a fter 48 hours of treatment, but only in SK-MES-1 cells galectin-8 expressio n is modulated without any secretion and cellular localization modification s, apoptosis or necrosis. Sodium butyrate could be an interesting tool in o ptimizing the radioimmunotherapy of human lung squamous carcinoma, but not of adenocarcinoma.