Protein Biomarker Predicts Cardiac Fibrosis Sequelae

The relationship between the level of galectin-3 (Gal-3) in the blood and the incidence of heart failure has been examined in a large population study.

Galectin-3 is emerging as an important prognostic protein biomarker as a mediator of cardiac fibrosis and measuring levels of Gal-3 in the blood may offer a way to identify high-risk individuals who could benefit from treatments to prevent debilitating heart failure and death.

Scientists at the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Heart Study, (Framingham, MA, USA) measured Gal-3 levels in the blood of 3,353 participants in the Framingham Offspring Cohort. At the time of measurement, the average age of the participants was 59 years old, and 52% were female. Plasma concentrations of Gal-3 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The lower detection limit was 1.32 ng/mL, with an upper detection limit of 96.6 ng/mL.

During an average follow-up of 11 years, 166 participants (5.1%) had a first heart failure event. Among the 25% of people with the highest galectin-3 levels, ranging from 15.4 ng/mL to 52.1 ng/mL, the annual rate of heart failure was 12/1,000 people compared with 3/1,000 people for the 25% of participants with the lowest Gal-3 levels which ranged from 3.9 ng/mL to 12 ng/mL. The ELISA used to measure Gal-3 levels was manufactured by BG Medicine (Waltham, MA, USA).

The authors concluded that their findings demonstrated that higher levels of Gal-3, a marker of cardiac fibrosis, are associated with an increased risk for incident heart failure and all-cause mortality in the community. Their study is the first to report the association of Gal-3 with risk for new-onset heart failure in apparently healthy subjects. The data also suggests that the association of Gal-3 with incident heart failure may be influenced by kidney function. The study was published on August 29, 2012, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Related Links:
US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
BG Medicine