Journal
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
Volume 3, Issue 4, Pages -Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.114.000785
Keywords
atherothrombosis; biomarkers; inflammation; mortality; oxidative stress
Categories
Funding
- Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia [SAF2010-21852, SAF2010-20367]
- Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo
- Redes RIC [RD12/0042/00038]
- Biobancos [RD09/0076/00101]
- Fundacion Lilly
- FRIAT
- Foundation for Applied Medical Research (FIMA)
- UTE project CIMA
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III [PI13/00395, PI10/00072]
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Background-Galectin-3 (Gal-3) participates in different mechanisms involved in atherothrombosis, such as inflammation, proliferation, or macrophage chemotaxis. Thus, there have been committed intensive efforts to elucidate the function of Gal-3 in cardiovascular (CV) diseases. The role of Gal-3 as a circulating biomarker has been demonstrated in patients with heart failure, but its importance as a biomarker in atherothrombosis is still unknown. Methods and Results-Because Gal-3 is involved in monocyte-to-macrophage transition, we used fresh isolated monocytes and the in vitro model of macrophage differentiation of THP-1 cells stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Gal-3 release is increased by PMA in human monocytes and macrophages, a process involving exosomes and regulated by reactive oxygen species/NADPH oxidase activity. In asymptomatic subjects (n=199), Gal-3 plasma levels are correlated with NADPH oxidase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (r=0.476; P<0.001) and carotid intima-media thickness (r=0.438; P<0.001), a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. Accordingly, Gal-3 plasma concentrations are increased in patients with carotid atherosclerosis (n=158), compared to control subjects (n=115; 14.3 [10.7 to 16.9] vs. 10.4 [8.6 to 12.5] ng/mL; P<0.001). Finally, on a 5-year follow-up study in patients with peripheral artery disease, Gal-3 concentrations are significantly and independently associated with an increased risk for CV mortality (hazard ratio=2.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.06 to 4.73, P<0.05). Conclusions-Gal-3 extracellular levels could reflect key underlying mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis etiology, development, and plaque rupture, such as inflammation, infiltration of circulating cells and oxidative stress. Moreover, circulating Gal-3 concentrations are associated with clinical outcomes in patients with atherothrombosis.
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