TY - JOUR
T1 - Serum levels of galectin-3
T2 - Possible association with fibrosis, aberrant angiogenesis, and immune activation in patients with systemic sclerosis
AU - Taniguchi, Takashi
AU - Asano, Yoshihide
AU - Akamata, Kaname
AU - Noda, Shinji
AU - Masui, Yuri
AU - Yamada, Daisuke
AU - Takahashi, Takehiro
AU - Ichimura, Yohei
AU - Toyama, Tetsuo
AU - Tamaki, Zenshiro
AU - Tada, Yayoi
AU - Sugaya, Makoto
AU - Kadono, Takafumi
AU - Sato, Shinichi
PY - 2012/3
Y1 - 2012/3
N2 - Objective. Galectin-3 is a multifunctional protein implicated in a variety of biological processes including fibrosis, angiogenesis, and immune activation, all of which are associated with the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc). We investigated the clinical significance of serum galectin-3 levels in SSc. Methods. Serum galectin-3 levels were determined by a specific ELISA in 58 patients with SSc and 19 healthy controls. Results. Serum galectin-3 levels were significantly lower in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) than in controls (3.29 ± 3.27 ng/ml vs 4.91 ± 2.67 ng/ml, respectively; p < 0.05), while being comparable between limited cutaneous SSc (3.70 ± 2.39 ng/ml) and healthy controls. In dcSSc, serum galectin-3 levels significantly correlated with total skin score (r = 0.45, p < 0.05). Serum galectin-3 levels were significantly decreased in early dcSSc (disease duration < 1 year; 1.64 ± 1.74 ng/ml; p <0.05), but not in mid-stage dcSSc (1 to 6 years; 3.22 ± 3.16 ng/ml) or late-stage dcSSc (> 6 years; 4.86 ± 4.10 ng/ml), compared with controls. Serum galectin-3 levels were higher in SSc patients with both digital ulcers (DU) and elevated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) than in those without each symptom (DU: 5.44 ± 3.74 ng/ml vs 2.99 ± 2.36 ng/ml, p < 0.05; elevated RVSP: 4.44 ± 3.14 ng/ml vs 2.82 ± 2.64 ng/ml, p < 0.05). Conclusion. Galectin-3 may be related to the developmental process of skin sclerosis in dcSSc and of DU and pulmonary vascular involvements in total SSc. The Journal of Rheumatology
AB - Objective. Galectin-3 is a multifunctional protein implicated in a variety of biological processes including fibrosis, angiogenesis, and immune activation, all of which are associated with the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc). We investigated the clinical significance of serum galectin-3 levels in SSc. Methods. Serum galectin-3 levels were determined by a specific ELISA in 58 patients with SSc and 19 healthy controls. Results. Serum galectin-3 levels were significantly lower in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) than in controls (3.29 ± 3.27 ng/ml vs 4.91 ± 2.67 ng/ml, respectively; p < 0.05), while being comparable between limited cutaneous SSc (3.70 ± 2.39 ng/ml) and healthy controls. In dcSSc, serum galectin-3 levels significantly correlated with total skin score (r = 0.45, p < 0.05). Serum galectin-3 levels were significantly decreased in early dcSSc (disease duration < 1 year; 1.64 ± 1.74 ng/ml; p <0.05), but not in mid-stage dcSSc (1 to 6 years; 3.22 ± 3.16 ng/ml) or late-stage dcSSc (> 6 years; 4.86 ± 4.10 ng/ml), compared with controls. Serum galectin-3 levels were higher in SSc patients with both digital ulcers (DU) and elevated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) than in those without each symptom (DU: 5.44 ± 3.74 ng/ml vs 2.99 ± 2.36 ng/ml, p < 0.05; elevated RVSP: 4.44 ± 3.14 ng/ml vs 2.82 ± 2.64 ng/ml, p < 0.05). Conclusion. Galectin-3 may be related to the developmental process of skin sclerosis in dcSSc and of DU and pulmonary vascular involvements in total SSc. The Journal of Rheumatology
KW - Digital ulcer
KW - Galectin-3
KW - Pulmonary arterial hypertension
KW - Skin fibrosis
KW - Systemic sclerosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863230182&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84863230182&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3899/jrheum.110755
DO - 10.3899/jrheum.110755
M3 - Article
C2 - 22247367
AN - SCOPUS:84863230182
SN - 0315-162X
VL - 39
SP - 539
EP - 544
JO - Journal of Rheumatology
JF - Journal of Rheumatology
IS - 3
ER -