Circulating Galectin-3 Levels Are Increased in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease, but Are Not Influenced by Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Objectives: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is involved in cardiac inflammation and fibrosis, and is in use as a biomarker that indicates increased risk in heart failure. This study examined the relationship between Gal-3 levels and acute and old myocardial infarction (MI) in patients assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Methods: Group 1 consisted of 38 patients with ST-elevation MI and single-vessel disease treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Group 2 consisted of 52 patients with prior complicated MI. Twenty-two controls were included. CMR was performed in group 1 at 2 days, 1 week, 2 months and 1 year following PCI and in group 2 at >4 years after MI. Results: Median Gal-3 was elevated in patients compared with controls, group 1: 11.93 ng/ml (IQR 6.34-17.52, p = 0.03), group 2: 12.96 (IQR 6.33-19.29, p = 0.03) and controls: 10.16 (IQR 5.59-14.73). Gal-3 levels did not change during acute MI, and there was no relationship between Gal-3 and infarct size, troponin-T, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, left-ventricular (LV) volumes or LV ejection fraction (LVEF) in group 1. In group 2, Gal-3 correlated modestly with MI size (r = 0.28, p < 0.05), LV end-diastolic volume index (r = 0.40, p < 0.01), LV end-systolic volume index (r = 0.43, p < 0.01) and LVEF (r = -0.39, p < 0.01). Conclusion: There was no relationship between Gal-3 levels and acute ischemic myocardial injury. A significant, modest relationship between Gal-3 levels, MI size and LV remodeling was only found in patients with old MI.

Galectin-3 in acute coronary syndrome

“…Oppositely to above-mentioned findings, Singsaas found only in patients with previous MI, but not in patients with acute STEMI, a significant association between Gal-3 and infarct size or LV volumes, both determinant of adverse LVR after MI and important predictor of adverse cardiovascular events [42]. Thus, in contrast to aforementioned data, they found Gal-3 was useful for risk stratification in patients with previous MI but no acute MI.…”

“…Clinical Biochemistry 50 (2017) [797][798][799][800][801][802][803] 52 previous complicated MI patients and 22 healthy controls, found Gal-3 levels were increased in both MI groups than controls and it correlated with TnT only in previous MI patients but not in STEMI [42]. Similarly, Lisowska et al in a larger cohort of MI patients including 143 STEMI and 90 NSTEMI patients, found no significant correlation between Gal-3 and TnI on admission [8].…”

Galectin-3 as a novel biomarker for disease diagnosis and a target for therapy (Review)

“…In addition, serum galectin-3 levels varied significantly following a STEMI over a short time period and were associated with the timing of reperfusion ( 75 ). In acute MI, galectin-3 expression levels were positively and significantly associated with certain inflammatory factors ( 76 ), whereas another study demonstrated that galectin-3 expression levels did not change during acute MI and had no association between galectin-3 levels and acute ischemic myocardial injury ( 77 ). In acute MI, galectin-3 was positively and significantly associated with certain biomarkers including matrix metalloproteinase 3, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and interleukin (IL)-8 involved in extracellular matrix turnover, but not with LV remodeling ( 78 ).…”

Galectin-3 and fibulin-1 in systolic heart failure - relation to glucose metabolism and left ventricular contractile reserve

“…Furthermore, the association between cardiac fibrosis estimated by CMR and Gal-3 levels is not well described. In patients with previous myocardial infarction Gal-3 was moderately associated with LVEF and infarct size [26]. We report no association of the biomarkers Gal-3 with IHD.…”