The expression of galectin-1 in vulvar neoplasia.

Vulvar cancer contributes to about 5% of all gynaecological cancers. Galectin-1, a member of an ubiquitous expressed beta-galactoside-binding family that comprises over 140 members to date, has been shown to be involved in many physiological and pathological processes, such as tumour progression, by promoting cancer cell invasion and metastasis, in apoptosis, embryogenesis and immunobiology. As the result of these findings, galectin-1 has been described as a potential marker for tumour progression in some malignancies.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor expression in cervical cancer.

Purpose: The glycoprotein macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a cytokine that has been shown to promote tumor progression and tumor immune escape in ovarian cancer. The present study investigates MIF in uterine cervical cancer.

Methods: Eighty surgical biopsies (32 cervical dysplasias, 23 in situ carcinomas and 25 invasive carcinomas) of uterine cervical tissue were evaluated immunohistochemically for MIF expression.

Expression of transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) and p-Akt correlates with the progression of cervical neoplasia.

Aim: It is supposed that increased glycolysis is crucial for the energy supply during tumor progression. Unfortunately, the relevance of glycolysis in cervical neoplasia is unknown, but what is certain is the fact that cervical cancer shows a high expression of glucose membrane transporters, which are necessary for glucose uptake as an energy source. Transketolase-like enzyme 1 (TKTL1) and the oncogene p-Akt have been described to play an important role in glycolysis during tumorigenesis.

Glucose metabolism and angiogenesis in granulosa cell tumors of the ovary: activation of Akt, expression of M2PK, TKTL1 and VEGF.

Objectives: Very little is known about the biology of granulosa cell tumors of the ovary. A hallmark of granulosa cell tumors of the ovary is extensive growth, distant metastases however, are rarely found. We hypothesise that granulosa cell tumors of the ovary on the one hand need to stimulate vascularisation; on the other hand glucose metabolism has to be altered to ensure the supply of nutrients and metabolites.