Abstract
BackgroundGalectin-3 is a family of soluble beta-galactoside-binding lectins that play many important regulatory roles in inflammation. Galectin-3-deficient mice have been shown to exhibit excess adiposity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. We investigated the association between serum galectin-3 and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes using a glucose clamp method.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. Twenty patients (mean fasting plasma glucose 7.6 mmol/L, HbA1c 7.2%, BMI 28.1 kg/m2) underwent a meal tolerance test and glucose clamp test. Participants were given a test meal and plasma glucose and insulin were measured at 0, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min. The glucose disposal rate was measured during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic glucose clamps. Serum galectin-3 levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.ResultsThe mean serum galectin-3 level was 5103 pg/ml. Galectin-3 levels correlated significantly with the glucose disposal rate (R = 0.71, P < 0.001), fasting insulin (R = −0.56, P < 0.01), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (R = −0.52, P < 0.05), and the insulin sensitivity index (R = 0.62, P < 0.005). Galectin-3 levels also positively correlated with the serum adiponectin level (R = 0.61, P < 0.05), but not with the high-sensitive C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 and −10.ConclusionsThese results suggest that low levels of serum galectin-3 are associated with insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Highlights
Galectin-3 is a family of soluble beta-galactoside-binding lectins that play many important regulatory roles in inflammation
Increased levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and reduced levels of IL-10 in the sera of obese galectin-3-deficient mice might contribute to amplified obesity-induced inflammation. These results suggest that a low serum galectin-3 level is associated with hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and inflammation in type 2 diabetes
This study indicates that low serum galectin-3 concentrations strongly correlates with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, evaluated by glucose clamp method, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and insulin sensitivity index (ISI)
Summary
Galectin-3 is a family of soluble beta-galactoside-binding lectins that play many important regulatory roles in inflammation. Galectin-3-deficient mice have been shown to exhibit excess adiposity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. We investigated the association between serum galectin-3 and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes using a glucose clamp method. In type 2 diabetes, it was reported that systemic galectin-3 is elevated in obesity and is negatively correlated with glycated hemoglobin [3]. Galectin-3 was increased in the serum of patients with elevated C-reactive protein. Compared with hepatic and systemic venous serum, galectin-3 was higher in the portal venous serum suggesting that the splanchnic region is a major site of galectin-3 synthesis. The lower levels of galectin-3 in the hepatic venous serum compared with the portal venous serum demonstrate that galectin-3 is removed by the hepatic system
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