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Galectin-3 and Cardiac Function in Survivors of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Study Questions:
What is the association between galectin-3 and left ventricular (LV) remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI)?
Methods:
Circulating galectin-3 and various extracellular matrix (ECM) biomarkers were measured in 100 patients (ages 58.9 ± 12.0 years, 77% male) admitted with AMI and LV dysfunction, at baseline (mean 46 hours) and at 24 weeks, with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at each time-point. LV remodeling was defined as change in LV end-systolic volume index. Relationships between galectin-3, biomarkers, and LV remodeling were analyzed across the entire cohort, then according median baseline LV ejection fraction (LVEF).
Results:
Galectin-3 levels were elevated in 22 patients (22%) at baseline and increased significantly over time from 14.7 ± 5.5 to 16.3 ± 6.6 ng/ml (p = 0.007). Baseline galectin-3 did not correlate with any LV parameter at baseline or change in any parameter over time. Galectin-3 was positively associated with remodeling in patients with supramedian baseline LVEF (i.e., >49.2%; r = 0.40, p = 0.01), but not when LVEF was ≤49.2%. Galectin-3 correlated significantly with matrix metalloproteinase-3 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 at baseline, biomarkers that have been shown to relate to LV remodeling in this cohort.
Conclusions:
The authors concluded that there was no definite relationship of galectin-3 with LV remodeling.
Perspective:
This study reported that galectin-3 correlated significantly with certain biomarkers involved in ECM turnover, although no definite relationship was identified with LV remodeling. Galectin-3 appears to be related to natriuretic peptides following AMI similar to findings from heart failure trials, and correlated significantly with certain biomarkers involved in the inflammation-fibrosis cascade, although it remains unclear whether galectin-3 plays a direct role in remodeling and will need further research.
Keywords: Inflammation, Myocardial Infarction, Ventricular Dysfunction, Galectin 3, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Natriuretic Peptides, Matrix Metalloproteinase 3, Extracellular Matrix, Biomarkers, Chemokine CCL2, Ventricular Remodeling, Heart Failure, Cardiovascular Diseases, Fibrosis
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