Increased levels of galectin-3 were associated with prediabetes and diabetes: new risk factor?

J Endocrinol Invest. 2015 May;38(5):527-33. doi: 10.1007/s40618-014-0222-2. Epub 2014 Dec 12.

Abstract

Purpose: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a marker of cardiac fibrosis and predicts incident heart failure. Gal-3-deficient mice are resistant to multiple low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Recent experimental studies suggested an important role for Gal-3 in the regulation of adiposity, metaflammation and type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between Gal-3 and newly diagnosed prediabetes and diabetes.

Methods: Gal-3 concentrations were measured in 118 participants and 56 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test and were stratified into normal, prediabetic, and diabetes mellitus subgroups. DM was defined as a plasma glucose level ≥126 mg/dL in the fasting state or ≥200 mg/dL in the second hour after glucose loading. Impaired fasting glucose was defined as an FPG level of 100-125 mg/dL, and impaired glucose tolerance was defined as a 2-h plasma glucose level of 140-199 mg/dL.

Results: Sixty-one patients had prediabetes (Group 1), 57 had diabetes (Group 2), and 56 had neither diabetes nor prediabetes (Group 3). Gal-3 levels correlated with FPG (r = 0.787, P < 0.01), 2hPG (r = 0.833, P < 0.01), CRP (r = 0.501, P < 0.01), and HOMA-IR (r = 0.518, P < 0.01). Gal-3 levels were higher in Group 2 than in Groups 1 and 3 [1,053.9 (358.1) and 744.1 (119.3) vs. 481.7 (175.4) pg/mL; P < 0.001]. Gal-3 is an independent predictor of diabetes in multivariate logistic analysis. In ROC analysis, a Gal-3 cutoff value of 803.55 pg/mL diagnoses diabetes with a sensitivity of 80.7 % and a specificity of 85.5 % (AUC = 0.912).

Conclusions: Gal-3 is a promising biomarker for detecting prediabetes and diabetes.

Keywords: Diabetes; Galectin-3; Inflammation; Insulin resistance; Prediabetes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood*
  • Female
  • Galectin 3 / blood*
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / blood*
  • Insulin Resistance / physiology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prediabetic State / blood*
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Galectin 3