Two messenger RNAs and five isoforms for Po66-CBP, a galectin-8 homolog ina human lung carcinoma cell line

Galectins are animal proteins which specifically bind beta -D-galactoside r esidues and their specific cellular function is not yet clearly established . However, these proteins seem to play a role in neoplastic transformations . Po66 is a murine monoclonal antibody directed against a protein from huma n lung carcinoma, Po66 Carbohydrate-Binding-Protein (Po66-CBP), which belon gs to the galectin-8 family. Our results show that the Po66-CBP gene genera tes five transcripts by alternative splicing, which could give rise to five proteins: two proteins belong to the tandemly repeated galectin family and three belong to the single carbohydrate recognition domain galectins. All these proteins are encoded by a unique gene located in 1q42. Experiments ca rried out by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction show that the levels of expression of these five galectin-8 isoforms are variable during the culture time in SK-MES-1, a human lung squamous carcinoma cell line. Ca ncer Genome Anatomy Project database analysis confirms the presence of Po66 -CBP in lung cancer and its absence in healthy lung. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.