Galectins as markers of aggressiveness of mouse mammary carcinoma: towards a lectin target therapy of human breast cancer.

Galectins, beta-galactoside binding proteins, expressed selectively in human breast carcinoma are attractive targets to employ lectin-aimed therapeutics. We examined beta-galactoside binding potency of neoplastic cells using fluorescein-labelled synthetic glycoconjugates as probes for flow cytometry. As a result, surface beta-galactoside binding proteins/galectins were discovered on mouse mammary carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo unlike non-malignant cells from the several tissues; and asialo-GM1 ganglioside carbohydrate part--containing probe was the most specific one.

Further development of local IL-2 therapy of cancer: multiple versus single IL-2 treatment of transplanted murine colon carcinoma.

We have compared the effect of one and up to four local IL-2 treatments of transplanted MC38 colon carcinoma. A single IL-2 treatment prolonged the survival time ( p=0.015), but no cure was obtained.

Therapeutic effect of a single peritumoural dose of IL-2 on transplanted murine breast cancer.

Interleukin-2 therapy is not clearly effective against breast cancer both in mouse models and in human patients. However, the study of IL-2 therapy of breast cancer remains important, as 3,700 women died from this malignancy in the Netherlands in 2000. Previously we have shown the therapeutical efficacy of a single peritumoural IL-2 application in different experimental models and in veterinary patients.