Differential Expression of Galectin-3, Caspase-1, and Phosphorylated P53: Diagnostic Biomarkers for Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a common form of skin cancer. By considering the role of Galectin-3 (Gal-3), Caspase-1, and Phosphorylated p53 (pP53), they might have an essential role in BCC development. This study aimed to examine the genes and their corresponding proteins in the tumor tissue of patients with BCC and compare them to those in the tumor margins. Furthermore, their potential roles as biomarkers were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The gene expression of Gal-3 and Caspase-1 in 25 tumor tissues and 25 tumor margin tissues of BCC subjects was analyzed by Real-Time PCR. The western blot was applied to assess Gal-3, Caspase-1, and pP53; moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized for the determination of these genes' RNA levels as potential biomarkers. RESULTS: Our findings indicated the increased Gal-3 and Caspase-1 gene expression in tumor tissues, compared to the tumor margin tissue in BCC. Gal-3, Caspase-1, and pP53 protein expression in tumor tissues had a significant elevation, compared to tumor margin tissue samples. The result of ROC analysis showed that the AUC for Gal-3 and Caspase-1 were 0.803 (sensitivity: 95%, specificity: 65%, p = 0.001) and 0.812 (sensitivity: 95%, specificity: 70%, p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: The upregulation of Gal-3 and Caspase-1 and downregulation of P53 suggest these genes and proteins play a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment, and based on our findings, they can be considered potential biomarkers. Additionally, these genes and proteins may be regarded as therapeutic targets based on future functional studies.