HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

Expression of galectin-1 and -3 and of accessible binding sites during murine hair cycle

U. Wollina1, D. Lange1, R. Paus2*, M. Burchert3 and H.-J. Gabius1

1Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, Jena, 2Department of Dermatology, Charité, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, 3Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, München, Germany. *Present address: Department of Dermatology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Offprint requests to: Dr. Prof. Uwe Wollina, Department of Dermatology, University of Jena, Erfurter Strasse 35, D-07740 Jena, Germany. Fax: +49-(0)3641-937416. e-mail: uwol@derma.uni-jena.de


Summary. Although protein-carbohydrate interactions are supposed to play key roles in cell adhesion, signalling and growth control. Their exact role in skin physiology has only recently been investigated. The endogenous lectins galectin-1 and galectin-3 have been identified in skin including hair follicles. Here, we analyzed the expression and distribution of these galectins and their binding sites in C57BL/6 mice during hair cycle. The expression of galectin-1 and galectin-3 binding sites was found to be predominantly hair cycle-dependent showing some overlapping to the expression of galectin-1 and -3. The outer root sheath (ORS) expressed galectin-1 binding sites during anagen IV to VI and in early catagen, whereas galectin-1 was expressed from early anagen to late catagen. The ORS expressed galectin-3 binding sites during catagen transition corresponding to a galectin-3 expression during anagen V and catagen. The innermost layer of the ORS expressed galectin-3 binding sites during anagen VI until catagen VIII, but galectin-3 during anagen III to IV and catagen. The inner root sheath (IRS) expressed galectin-3 binding sites only in anagen IV but missed expression of any of the two galectins. The matrix cells expressed galectin-3 binding sites in catagen II-III as well as galectin-3 during anagen V to catagen IV. The present study provides the first evidence for a cycle-related expression of both galectin-1 and -3 and their binding sites during murine hair cycle. Histol. Histopathol. 15, 85-94 (2000)

Key words: Galectins, Galectin-binding sites, Hair cycle

DOI: 10.14670/HH-15.85