ncreased Expressions of Plasma Galectin-3 in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• Published in: 中华医学杂志：英文版 2016, Vol.129 (23), p.2797-2803
• Main Author: Jun Yan Yun Xu Li Zhang Hui Zhao Ling Jin Wei-Guo Liu Lei-Hua Weng Zuo-Han Li Ling Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 临床疾病; 发病机制; 患者; 硬化; 肌; 蛋白水平; 血浆蛋白; 酶联免疫吸附法
• ISSN: 0366-6999; 2542-5641

Background： High expressions of galectin-3 were identified recently in the end stage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis （ALS） patients. which suggested that immune reactivity and inflammatory mechanisms might play an important role in the pathogenesis of ALS. The purpose of this study was to investigate plasma galectin-3 levels in different groups and stages of ALS patients and the association with related clinical characteristics. Methods： A total of 51 patients with ALS and 60 normal controls （NCs） were recruited in this study. Plasma galectin-3 levels were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients with ALS were divided into several groups according to their clinical characteristics： gender, type of disease onset, duration of disease, and clinical conditions of disease, Statistical analyses of the differences of galectin-3 levels between groups and the association with the clinical characteristics of disease were performed. Results： As compared with the NCs （201.64 [22.35-401.63] ng/ml）, plasma galectin-3 levels were significantly elevated in the patients with duration 〉 12 months （341.17 [69.12-859.22] ng/ml, P 〈 0.05）, and the patients with limb onset of disease （254.14 [69.12-859.22] ng/m L P 〈 0.05）： however, no difference was found in the patients with duration ≤12 months （250.62 [109.77-334.92] ng/ml, P 〉 0.05）, and the patients with bulbar onset of disease （251.79 [109.20-404.76] ng/ml, P 〉 0.05）. In addition, galectin-3 levels were significantly increased in the female patients （263.27 [123.32-859.22] ng/ml, P 〈 0.05） while no difference was found in the male patients （220.39 [69.12-748.73] ng/ml, P 〉 0.05）. The lhrther statistical analyses showed that plasma galectin-3 levels were positively correlated with the duration of disease （r= 0.293, P 0.037）. Conclusions： Plasma galectin-3 levels were significantly increased in AES patients with limb onset of disease, especially in ALS female patients, and positively correlated with the duration of disease, which suggested that plasma galectin-3 might be an interesting and useful factor associated with ALS.