Abstract
BackgroundGalectin-3 promotes the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and is engaged in cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix interactions, and macrophage activation. In addition, in patients with heart failure this carbohydrate-binding protein is a known prognostic marker for cardiovascular mortality. However, its association with psychological variables has not been investigated so far.MethodsUsing data from the multicenter, observational Diast-CHF (Diagnostic Trial on Prevalence and Clinical Course of Diastolic Dysfunction and Heart Failure) trial, we studied in participants with cardiovascular risk factors (n = 1260, age 66.7 ± 8.0 years, males 51%, left ventricular ejection fraction 60.0 ± 8.1%) the relationship between serum concentrations of galectin-3 and anxiety. Galectin-3 levels were measured by means of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and anxiety was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).ResultsIn univariate analysis, there was a weak but significant inverse correlation between galectin-3 and HADS anxiety (rho = − 0.076; p = 0.008). Linear regression models adjusted for sex, age, body-mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular ejection fraction, 6-min walking distance, the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) subscale physical functioning, and known biomarkers for heart failure confirmed that serum galectin-3 significantly and independently predicted self-rated anxiety (B = -2.413; 95%CI = -2.413–-4.422; p = 0.019).ConclusionIn patients with cardiovascular risk factors, serum concentrations of galectin-3 showed an inverse association with anxiety, which was independent of both the severity of physical impairment and established risk factors for the progression of heart failure.
Highlights
Galectin-3 promotes the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and is engaged in cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix interactions, and macrophage activation
While only two observational studies reported a protective effect of anxiety on mortality in patients with coronary heart disease, numerous studies demonstrated that anxiety disorders are associated with increased mortality and worse prognosis [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
In a linear regression model adjusted for gender, age, body-mass index (BMI), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) grade, 6-min walking test, and SF36 physical functioning, we found that log-transformed galectin-3 concentrations independently predicted Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety (B = -2.493, 95%CI = -4.354–-0.632, p = 0.009) (Table 2, model 1)
Summary
Galectin-3 promotes the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and is engaged in cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix interactions, and macrophage activation. Galectin-3 has been introduced as another prognostic biomarker for increased mortality risk in heart failure [17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24] This 35 kDa protein belongs to the family of βgalactoside-binding lectins with a carboxyl-terminal lectin domain connected to an amino-terminal non-lectin segment including several repeats of a proline/tyrosine/ glycine-rich motif [25, 26]. It is expressed in inflammatory processes by mast cells and macrophages, where it regulates cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix interactions, proliferation, angiogenesis, and induction of pre-mRNA splicing [27, 28]. Possible associations of galectin-3 with emotional well-being in general, and anxiety in particular, are unclear
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