Gal-3 In Patients Research Articles

Usefulness of Galectin-3 as a Biochemical Marker to Detect Ventricular and Supraventricular Arrhythmias in Children.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of several fibrotic disorders. A number of studies have examined the relationship between galectin-3 levels and cardiac fibrosis in heart failure. Nevertheless, the role of galectin-3 in the etiology of supraventricular (SVa) and ventricular (Va) arrhythmias remains largely unexamined. The objective of this prospective study was to investigate the potential correlation between galectin concentration and the occurrence of idiopathic cardiac arrhythmias in pediatric patients. Biochemistry analysis was performed on 30 children (11-18 years; 14 boys and 16 girls). The control group consisted of 20 children. Cardiac arrhythmia was confirmed by a 24 h Holter ECG recording. Serum galectin-3 levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis of the data showed significant associations between creatinine kinase (CK) and Gal-3 in patients with SVa (SVT-supraventricular tachycardia) arrhythmias, suggesting a potential effect of CK on Gal-3 levels. However, no correlation was identified between Gal-3 concentration and the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias under investigation. We concluded that galectin-3 does not have the potential to be a biomarker in the diagnosis of idiopathic arrhythmias in pediatric patients.

Validity of galactin-3 in acromegaly: comparison with traditional markers.

Acromegaly occurs due to overproduction of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Galectin-3 (Gal-3) has recently emerged as a novel biomarker, related to IGF-1. This study aimed to assess Gal-3 in patients with acromegaly and compare its effectiveness with traditional biomarker tests. A randomized case control study conducted in a single center included 50 acromegaly patients and 40 apparently healthy subjects (HS) serve as control group matched both age and BMI. Laboratory test was measured by routine assay used in center. Gal-3, GH, and IGF-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There were 50 patients with an average age of 50.40 ± 12.229 (50% of males). Compared with HS, patients' serum GAL-3 levels have increased significantly. The serum GAL-3 exceeds 14.363 ng/ml, with a sensitivity of 100.0 and a specificity of 100.0. Furthermore, serum Gal-3 levels in combination with traditional tests (GH and IGF-1) by DeLoongs test had a significant difference in discriminating acromegaly more accurately than traditional tests. In a summary, this study recommended clinicians measure serum Gal-3 as biomarkers for patients with acromegaly. In addition, the result above shed light on role of Gal-3 on acromegaly pathogenesis and might provide a therapeutic target of acromegaly patients.

The role of galectin-3 in patients with permanent and paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation and echocardiographic parameters of left atrial fibrosis.

Biochemical markers and imaging tests have been used with the aim of stratifying the risk and detecting atrial fibrosis. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is used for the detection of atrial fibrosis and Gal-3 provides an important prognostic value. The objective of the study was to assess the association between atrial fibrosis markers and serum levels, genetic polymorphisms and genic expression of galectin-3. 206 patients with permanent AF and 70 patients with paroxysmal AF were included in the study. Real time PCR (TaqMan) system was used to study SNPs rs4652 and 4644 of the gene LGALS3. Serum levels of Gal-3 were determined by ELISA and STE was performed to assess fibrosis. Mean age of individuals with permanent AF was 66.56 ± 12 years. As for the echocardiography results, those patients showed an decrease in the following parameters peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) (p = 0.002) when compared to the same parameters from the paroxysmal AF group of patients. There was a correlation between serum levels of Gal-3 and PALS in the group of patients with permanent AF; the lower the levels of gal-3, the lower the LA strain (r = 0.24; p = 0.01). Echocardiographic findings showed association with the groups, and with serum levels of Gal-3 in patients with permanent AF. The distribution of allelic and genotypic frequencies, and of the haplotypes of polymorphism LGALS3 rs4652 and rs4644 did not present statistical variation, which suggests that those SNPs are not associated with the AF clinical forms (permanent and paroxysmal).

The Role of Galectin-3 in Predicting Congenital Heart Disease Outcome: A Review of the Literature.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a novel pro-fibrotic biomarker that can predict both right and left cardiac dysfunction caused by various cardiovascular conditions. Its expression seems to be progressively altered with evolving cardiac remodeling processes, even before the onset of heart failure. Hence, Gal-3 has been found to be an individual predictor of acute and chronic heart failure or to serve as part of an integrated biomarker panel that can foresee adverse cardiac outcomes. In congenital heart disease (CHD), Gal-3 correlates with cardiac mortality and complications in both children and adults and is proposed as a therapeutic target in order to reverse the activation of pro-fibrosis pathways that lead to heart failure. Positive associations between serum Gal-3 levels, post-operatory hospitalization rates, complications and ventricular dysfunction have also been reported within studies conducted on patients with CHD who underwent corrective surgery. Thus, this review tried to address the potential utility of Gal-3 in patients with CHD and particularly in those who undergo corrective surgery. The heterogeneity of the literature data and the lack of validation of the results obtained by the current studies on larger cohorts cannot be neglected, though. Further longitudinal research is required to establish how Gal-3 can relate to long-term outcomes in pediatric CHD.

Circulating Galectin-3 levels and Diabetic Nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AimsChanges of serum galectin-3 (Gal-3) is associated with the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, current literature indicates that the given results remain debatable and inconsistent. Hence, the aim of this present meta-analysis was to focus on the predictive role of serum Gal-3 in patients with DN.MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for studies that reported the relationship between Gal-3 levels and DN risk, from the inception of each database to March, 2023. The literature we selected for inclusion based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The standard mean difference (SMD) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used to investigate the association. When I2 value exceeding 50%, we will consider it has the presence of a higher level of heterogeneity. A sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to seek the potential sources of heterogeneity. The quality assessment was performed using according to the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). The data analysis was conducted using STATA version 13.0 software.ResultsWe ultimately enrolled 9 studies enrolling a total of 3137 patients in the final analysis. The SMD of serum Gal-3 was higher in patients with DN group (SMD 1.10 ng/mL [0.63, 1.57]; I2: 96.1%). Upon removal of a study in sensitivity analysis, patients with DN had higher serum Gal-3 levels compared to control patients (SMD 1.03 ng/mL [0.52, 1.54], I2: 94.4%). Further subgroup analysis was performed based on the region. No matter in Asia, Europe or Africa, the serum Gal-3 level of DN patients is significantly higher than that of the control population (SMD: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.58 to 0.87 for Asian; SMD: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.48 to 1.10 for Europe; SMD: 3.15; 95% CI: 2.73 to 3.56 for Africa).ConclusionIn conclusion, these results suggested that higher serum Gal-3 may increase the risk of DN. More fundamental studies are necessary to clarify the exact physiopathological basis mechanisms of Gal-3 effects. In addition, further research, especially emphasis on the cut-off value should be given, and is best to predict their actual importance as well as the diagnostic accuracy.

Expression of Gal-9 on Dendritic Cells and Soluble Forms of TIM-3/Gal-9 in Patients Suffering from Endometriosis.

Immune system dysregulation is clinically evident in the pathogenesis of endometriosis (EMS). Changes in the dendritic cells (DCs) activity or phenotype may be involved in the implantation and growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus in the disease. The TIM-3/Gal-9 axis is implicated in the development of immune tolerance. However, the knowledge about the exact role of this pathway in the EMS is extremely poor. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of Gal-9 on myeloid DCs (mDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in the peripheral blood (PB) and peritoneal fluid (PF) of both EMS patients (n = 82) and healthy subjects (n = 10) via flow cytometry. We also investigated the concentrations of soluble Gal-9 and TIM-3 in the plasma and PF of EMS patients and the control group using ELISA. We showed significantly elevated percentages of mDCs-Gal-9+ and pDCs-Gal-9+, and significantly higher concentrations of the soluble form of Gal-9 and TIM-3 in the PF of EMS patients than in circulation. Our results led us to conclude that the accumulation of Gal-9 expressing mDCs and pDCs in the PF and high sTIM-3/Gal-9 production in the peritoneal cavity could represent the hallmark of immune regulation in EMS patients, which may augment the inflammatory process and development/maintenance of local immunosuppression.

Increased Galectin-9 Levels Correlate with Disease Activity in Patients with DMARD-Naïve Rheumatoid Arthritis and Modulate the Secretion of MCP-1 and IL-6 from Synovial Fibroblasts.

Background: Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) are essential mediators in the expansive growth and invasiveness of rheumatoid synovitis, and patients with a fibroblastic-rich pauci-immune pathotype respond poorly to currently approved antirheumatic drugs. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) has been reported to directly modulate rheumatoid arthritis (RA) FLSs and to hold both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical and pathogenic aspects of Gal-9 in RA, combining national patient cohorts and cellular models. Methods: Soluble Gal-9 was measured in plasma from patients with newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve RA (n = 98). The disease activity score 28-joint count C-reactive protein (DAS28CRP) and total Sharp score were used to evaluate the disease course serially over a two-year period. Plasma and synovial fluid samples were examined for soluble Gal-9 in patients with established RA (n = 18). A protein array was established to identify Gal-9 binding partners in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs), harvested from RA patients, were used to obtain synovial-fluid derived FLSs (SF-FLSs) (n = 7). FLSs from patients suffering from knee Osteoarthritis (OA) were collected from patients when undergoing joint replacement surgery (n = 5). Monocultures of SF-FLSs (n = 6) and autologous co-cultures of SF-FLSs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with and without a neutralizing anti-Gal-9 antibody (n = 7). The mono- and co-cultures were subsequently analyzed by flow cytometry, MTT assay, and ELISA. Results: Patients with early and established RA had persistently increased plasma levels of Gal-9 compared with healthy controls (HC). The plasma levels of Gal-9 were associated with disease activity and remained unaffected when adding a TNF-inhibitor to their standard treatment. Gal-9 levels were elevated in the synovial fluid of established RA patients with advanced disease, compared with corresponding plasma samples. Gal-9 adhered to fibronectin, laminin and thrombospondin, while not to interstitial collagens in the ECM protein array. In vitro, a neutralizing Gal-9 antibody decreased MCP-1 and IL-6 production from both RA FLSs and OA FLSs. In co-cultures of autologous RA FLSs and PBMCs, the neutralization of Gal-9 also decreased MCP-1 and IL-6 production, without affecting the proportion of inflammatory FLSs. Conclusions: In RA, pretreatment plasma Gal-9 levels in early RA were increased and correlated with clinical disease activity. Gal-9 levels remained increased despite a significant reduction in the disease activity score in patients with early RA. The in vitro neutralization of Gal-9 decreased both MCP-1 and IL-6 production in an inflammatory subset of RA FLSs. Collectively these findings indicate that the persistent overexpression of Gal-9 in RA may modulate synovial FLS activities and could be involved in the maintenance of subclinical disease activity in RA.

Retracted: Levels of Serum sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in Patients with Essential Hypertension and Their Correlation with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2021/7262776.].

Impact of moderately reduced renal function on the diagnostic and prognostic value of galectin-3 in patients with exertional dyspnea.

Blood concentration of galectin-3 (Gal-3) - a biomarker of fibrosis useful in diagnostics and prognostication in heart failure (HF) - is known to be elevated in patients with renal impairment, a condition which often accompanies cardiac insufficiency. To investigate the effect of moderately reduced renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 30-60 mL/min/1.73 m2) on the diagnostic and prognostic utility of circulating Gal-3 in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Clinical, biochemical and echocardiographic variables were collected at baseline in 154 patients with HFpEF: 101 with normal and 53 with moderately reduced renal function, who were followed up for 48 (24-60) months for HF hospitalization and cardiovascular (CV) death (composite endpoint). Patients with moderately impaired renal function were characterized by higher age, Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) risk score, Gal-3, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, lower hemoglobin, and more advanced left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Older age, female sex and deeper impairment of renal performance were determinants of higher Gal-3 blood concentrations. Lower exercise capacity (lower peak VO2) was associated with higher Gal-3 level and more pronounced renal impairment. Multivariable regression analysis demonstrated the significance of renal dysfunction as a determinant of lower exercise capacity and revealed a significant interaction between Gal-3 and eGFR with respect to peak VO2. The addition of Gal-3 to the prognostic models based on clinical data improved their predictive power for the study endpoint. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the presence of moderately reduced renal function with eGFR 30-60 mL/min/1.73 m2 did not enhance the increased risk of adverse outcome associated with Gal-3 above the median. In patients with HFpEF, the coexistence of moderate renal dysfunction does not deteriorate the prognostic usefulness of circulating Gal-3. However, renal impairment modifies the association between Gal-3 and exercise capacity, which supports the need to adjust for kidney function when interpreting the contribution of Gal-3 to exercise intolerance in this population.

Levels of Serum sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in Patients with Essential Hypertension and Their Correlation with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

Essential hypertension (EH) is a clinically frequent cardiovascular disease, with insidious onset, causing increased pressure load and neuroregulation disorders in patients. Long-term EH can cause left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), which can lead to arrhythmia and even death. The soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and galectin-3 (Gal-3) in serum plays an important role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. In our study, we divided EH patients into 3 levels and groups with or without LVH, according to their condition. The levels of sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in the serum were measured in different groups of patients. Our results showed that the levels of sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in the serum increased progressively with the level in different EH groups. The levels of sST2, MMP-3, and Gal-3 in the serum of the LVH group were higher than those of the NLVH group, and it is positively correlated with LVH-related indexes. The risk of developing and progressing to LVH in patients with EH can be determined by the method of measuring three indicators.

Osteopontin and galectin-3 as biomarkers of maladaptive right ventricular remodelingin pulmonary hypertension.

Aim: This study assessed the utility of osteopontin (OPN) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) as biomarkers of maladaptive right ventricular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Materials & methods: We examined plasma levels of OPN and Gal-3 in patients with PH (n=62), dilated cardiomyopathy (n=34), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH;n=47), and controls without right ventricle (RV) or LV abnormalities (n=38). Results: OPN and Gal-3 levels were higher in PH, dilated cardiomyopathyand LVH than in the controls. OPN concentrations in PH patients with maladaptive RV were significantly higher than in those with adaptive RV. Gal-3 did not differentiate between adaptive and maladaptive RV remodeling in PH. OPN and Gal-3 levels did not correlate with parameters of LV remodeling. Conclusion: OPN is a potential biomarker of RV maladaptation.

Galectin-3 in patients with atrial fibrillation and restored sinus rhythm

Cardiac fibrosis is the hallmark of atrial remodeling in atrial fibrillation. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a biomarker of fibrosis. It is well studied in heart failure, but the data about its role in atrial fibrillation are sparse. The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of Gal-3 in patients with atrial fibrillation after sinus rhythm restoration, to examine the association between this biomarker and other factors for developing atrial fibrillation and to assess its prognostic role. We included 67 patients (35 male) at the mean age of 67.36±7.25 years, with Gal-3 test after sinus rhythm restoration, a subgroup of participants in placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of treatment with spironolactone. They were followed up for atrial fibrillation recurrence and hospitalizations. The effect of demographic parameters and other factors on Gal-3 levels were evaluated before and one year after treatment. Mean Gal-3 at baseline was 16.9±6.8 ng/ml. Higher levels of Gal-3 were associated with female gender (р=0.008), increasing age (р=0.005), renal dysfunction (p<0.0001) and gout (р=0.002). Higher thromboembolic risk as assessed by CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly related to Gal-3. The levels of biomarker did not affect the number of atrial fibrillation recurrences (p=0.9) and hospitalizations. No correlation was found with treatment with spironolactone, antiarrhythmic and antihypertensive drugs. Higher Gal-3 in atrial fibrillation was associated with female sex, renal dysfunction, and history of gout. The levels of Gal-3 were not related to rhythm control. Treatment with spironolactone did not affect the biomarker of fibrosis Gal-3 in AF patients. Higher Gal-3 was related to high embolic risk.

The Role of Galectin-9 as Mediator of Atopic Dermatitis: Effect on Keratinocytes.

Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a beta-galactoside-binding protein with a variety of biological functions related to immune response. However, in allergic diseases, its mechanism of action is not fully understood. This study evaluates the expression pattern of Gal-9 in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced experimental atopic dermatitis (AD) in mice, as well as its effect on human keratinocytes. The skin of OVA-immunized BALB/c mice was challenged with drops containing OVA on days 11, 14–18, and 21–24. HaCaT cells were cultured in the following experimental conditions: control (growth medium only) or stimulated with TNF-α/IFN-γ, or IL-4, or IL-17 with or without Gal-9 treatment. AD was characterized by increased levels of Gal-9 in mouse and human skin, especially in the epidermis, and with a marked influx of Gal-9 positive eosinophils and mast cells compared to the control group. Gal-9 showed an immunomodulatory effect on keratinocytes by decreasing the release of IL-6 by IL-4-stimulated keratinocytes or increasing the IL-6 and RANTES levels by IL-17- or TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated cells, respectively. Under IL-17, Gal-9 treatment also altered the proliferation rate of cells. Overall, increased levels of Gal-9 in AD skin contribute to the control of inflammatory response and the proliferative process of keratinocytes, suggesting this lectin as a relevant therapeutic target.

Effects of laparoscopic and traditional open surgery on the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and Gal-3 in patients with thyroid cancer.

Traditional open surgery and laparoscopic surgery are common treatments for thyroid cancer patients, this paper aims to explore their effects on the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and galectin-3 (Gal-3) in patients with thyroid cancer. The clinical data of patients with thyroid cancer who received surgery in our hospital from September 2017 to February 2020 were collected. In total, 106 cases that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included. The patients were then allocated into two groups according to the surgery received, including a study group (56 cases treated with endoscopy) and a basic group (50 cases treated with traditional open surgery). Rehabilitation indicators and inflammatory cytokines were compared between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the number of intraoperative lymph node dissections (P>0.05), postoperative complication rate (16.08% vs. 20.00%, P>0.05), and 6-month rate of recurrence or metastasis (P>0.05) between the two groups. Compared to the basic group, the operation time of the study group was longer, while the amount of intraoperative blood loss, 24 h drainage of the catheter and the length of hospital stay were significantly lower in the study group (P<0.05). The pain scores of the study group at 24 and 48 h after surgery were significantly lower than those of the basic group (P<0.05). The levels of IL-6, TNF-α, Gal-3, and other inflammatory factors in the two groups increased on the first day postoperatively, however the levels of these factors in the study group were lower than those in the basic group (P<0.05). Finally, the postoperative cosmetic satisfaction rate of the study group (94.64%) was higher than that of the basic group (86.00%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The use of laparoscopic treatment can reduce the amount of intraoperative blood loss in patients with thyroid cancer, effectively reduce the degree of postoperative pain, and inhibit postoperative inflammation in the patient to a certain extent. Moreover, laparoscopic treatment can increase postoperative cosmetic satisfaction, reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications and recurrence rate, and improve the patient's prognosis.

MiR-124-3p increases in high glucose induced osteocyte-derived exosomes and regulates galectin-3 expression: A possible mechanism in bone remodeling alteration in diabetic periodontitis.

The mechanisms underlying the two-way relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontitis are unclear. We examined a possible effect of galectin-3 (Gal-3), a factor in DM and bone metabolism, on periodontitis with or without DM. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we detected saliva Gal-3 in patients with periodontitis, with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In animal models, we measured periodontal bone microarchitecture via micro computed tomography, and detected Gal-3, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression in alveolar bone. Applying dual luciferase reporter assay, we explored the target binding of miR-124-3p and Gal-3. We examined osteocyte-derived exosomes with transmission electron microscopy and detected miR-124-3p, Gal-3, and IL-6 expression in exosomes. Saliva Gal-3 was increased in DM compared with controls but decreased in patients with moderate periodontitis and DM compared with those who had moderate periodontitis only. Alveolar bone mass was increased in DM and exacerbated in DM with periodontitis. Gal-3 and Runx2 were both increased in periodontitis and DM compared with controls, but decreased in DM with periodontitis compared with DM alone. MiR-124-3p targeted and inhibited Gal-3 expression in vitro. Osteocytes secreted exosomes carrying miR-124-3p, Gal-3, and IL-6, which were influenced by high glucose. These findings indicate that osteocyte-derived exosomes carrying miR-124-3p may regulate Gal-3 expression of osteoblasts, especially under high-glucose conditions, suggesting a possible mechanism for DM-related alveolar bone pathologies.

Could soluble levels of CD40L and galectin-9 be possible prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in NSCLC?

e21508 Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all cases of lung cancer. The immune system is now recognized to have the potential to destroy cancer cells. TIM-3 binds to Galectin-9 (GAL9) causing suppression of cytokine production, cell cycle arrest and cell death. Soluble CD40L (sCD40L) that is released by activated T lymphocytes and platelets. Therefore, we hypothesized that soluble forms immune checkpoint receptors and their ligands, such as TIM-3, GAL9 and CD40L may also prognostic implications of NSCLC. Objectives: Evaluate the soluble levels of CD40L, TIM-3 and GAL9 in patients with NSCLC in III and IV stages of disease. Methods: Samples of blood were collected from a cohort prospective involving 32 patients between 50 and 80 years old (65 + 8,6 years). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify expression these receptors. A non-parametric test was used to compare all groups (Mann-Whitney U-test). Statistical significance was defined as p&lt;0.05. Data analysis was performed using GraphPadPrism v8.3. Results: Our results showed higher levels GAL-9 and TIM3 in patients with stage III and IV than controls ( p&lt;0.05). As also, higher expression of CD40L was identified in patients stage III than stage IV ( p&lt;0.0001) and controls ( p=0.007). It wasn’t seen significant different expression of CD40L between stage IV patients and controls. Analyzing GAL9, it was identified higher level in patients stage III than stage IV ( p&lt;0.0001). Expression of TIM-3 wasn’t significant difference between patients with stage III and IV. When analysing in ratio between CD40L/TIM3, TIM3/GAL9 and CD40L/GAL9 in all groups, only TIM-3/GAL9 ratio had a positive correlation in patients stage IV (r=0.688; p&lt;0.0001). By histology, patients with squamous cell carcinoma had higher levels of CD40L than adenocarcionoma ( p=0.01), but no significant difference was identified between expression of TIM3 e GAL9 and histological subtypes. Conclusions: This study showed expression sCD40L and GAL9 were higher stage III than stage IV in patients NSCLC. It can be inferred that soluble CD40L and GAL9 receptors are possible prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in NSCLC.

Galectin-3 Levels in Patients with Chronic Constrictive Pericarditis.

Background Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a proinflammatory, profibrotic molecule implicated in the pathogenesis of heart failure. The role of Gal-3 in patients with chronic constrictive pericarditis (CCP) is not clear. Objective The aim of this study was to assess plasma Gal-3 in patients with CCP and correlate it with clinical, functional and histologic parameters. Methods We prospectively evaluated 25 symptomatic patients with CCP referred for pericardiectomy and 21 healthy controls. Patients underwent clinical assessment, Gal-3 and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurements, echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) at baseline. Six months after pericardiectomy CPET was repeated. An alpha error < 5% was considered statistically significant, with a confidence interval of 95%. Results Twenty-five patients with a median age of 45 years were included. Etiology was mainly idiopathic (n = 19, 76%); and 14 (56%) patients had NYHA functional class III/IV. Median BNP and Gal-3 were 143 (89-209) pg/dL and 14.8 (9.7-17.2) ng/mL, respectively. Gal-3 levels were not significantly higher in CCP patients than in control (p = 0.22). There were no significant correlations of Gal-3 with BNP, echocardiographic and cardiac magnetic resonance measures and histological findings. After pericardiectomy, it was found a statistically significant correlation between Gal-3 and the CPTE measures test duration (r = -0.79; p < 0.001) and exercise time (r = -0.79; p < 0.001). Conclusions Patients with CCP had normal levels of Gal-3 as compared to the controls. Gal-3 did not correlate with morphological and functional measures before pericardiectomy. However, the associations between Gal-3 and exercise intolerance after pericardiectomy may suggest a role of Gal-3 in prognosis prediction after pericardiectomy. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 114(4):683-689).

Differential regulation and correlation between galectin-9 and anti-CCP antibody (ACPA) in rheumatoid arthritis patients

BackgroundGalectin-9 (Gal-9) is involved in the regulatory process of immune responses or inflammation. The aim of the present study is to characterize circulating Gal-9 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its relationship with RA disease activity and phenotype.MethodsA total of 116 RA patients and 31 age-matched healthy controls were included in this study. Disease activity of RA patients was determined by Disease Activity Score of 28 joint scoring system (DAS28-ESR). Levels of Gal-9 in serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsSerum levels of Gal-9 were significantly higher in patients with RA compared to those in controls (median 7577 pg/ml [interquartile range (IQR) 5570–10,201] versus 4738 pg/ml [IQR 4267–5630], p = 0.001). There were significant differences in serum Gal-9 between RA patients with and without RA-ILD (9606 pg/ml [IQR 8522–12,167] versus 7078 pg/ml [IQR 5225–9447], p < 0.001) or those with and without advanced joint damage (stage II–IV, 9606 pg/ml [IQR 8522–12,167] versus 7078 pg/ml [IQR 5225–9447], p < 0.001). Although serum levels of Gal-9 correlated with the titers of ACPA (r = 0.275, p = 0.002), levels of ACPA titers conferred the different relationship, between serum Gal-9 and inflammatory mediators or RA disease activity. Although Gal-9 was correlated with ACPA titers (r = 0.508, p = 0.002), there was no correlation between Gal-9 levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), or DAS28-ESR in RA patients with high titers of ACPA (> 200 U/ml). Conversely, Gal-9 was correlated with MMP-3 (r = 0.300, p = 0.007) or DAS28-ESR (r = 0.331, p = 0.004) but not with ACPA titer in RA patients with low titers of ACPA titers (< 200 U/ml).ConclusionsSerum levels of Gal-9 were increased in RA patients and associated with RA disease activity in RA patients without high titers of ACPA. The levels of ACPA titers may influence the values of circulating Gal-9 in RA patients with various clinical phenotypes. These data suggest that Gal-9 possessed the properties of pro-inflammatory or arthropathic biomarker under the status of ACPA titers.

Serum galectin-9 level in patients with atopic dermatitis before and after phototherapy

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a member of galectin family, which is widely distributed in epithelial tissues and binds to various receptors expressed on the cell surface, such as T-cell Ig and Tim −3, CD4, and IgE. Phototherapy is the use of ultraviolet light to treat skin conditions, including AD. It plays important roles in immune suppression. Aim The aim of the present study was to evaluate the serum level of Gal-9 in patients with AD before and after treatment with phototherapy. Patients and methods The present study included 20 patients with AD and 20 healthy controls. Blood sample collection was done, and Gal-9 level in sera of patients and controls was measured using ELISA. Patients were subjected to complete history taking, clinical examination, and six area, six sign atopic dermatitis score calculation and received treatment by phototherapy ultravilot B (UVB) sessions for 6–8 weeks. After the end of phototherapy sessions, the authors measured the serum Gal-9 again. Results Serum level of Gal-9 in patients with AD was significantly higher than control group, with significant increase with severity of the disease. There was a decrease in serum Gal-9 level after treatment with phototherapy. Conclusion Serum Gal-9 level was significantly elevated in patients with AD, correlated with disease severity, and decreased after treatment with phototherapy. This suggests a possible role of Gal-9 in the pathogenesis of AD. New treatment strategies directed to lower Gal-9 level may be a hope for future perspectives in the treatment of AD.

How Can Galectin-3 as a Biomarker of Fibrosis Improve Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis and Prognosis?

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a biomarker of fibrosis that has been associated with atrial remodeling. Acknowledging the presence of a biomarker in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) can allow for a better clinical treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the association of Gal-3 with atrial fibrosis in patients with AF. This is a systematic review study. From the total number of studies analyzed, 12 demonstrated a relation between atrial fibrosis and Gal-3 in patients with AF and presented statistically significant association values. We conclude that Gal-3 is associated with atrial fibrosis in patients with AF in all types, as well as after the arrhythmia treatment by ablation.