Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2016; 64 - ePP103
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1571946

Galectin-3 and Aldosterone as Potential Tandem Biomarkers in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

L. Calvier 1, E. Legchenko 1, L. Grimm 1, H. Sallmon 2, A. Hatch 3, B. D. Plouffe 3, C. Schroeder 4, J. Bauersachs 5, S. K. Murthy 3, G. Hansmann 1
  • 1Hannover Medical School, Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Critical Care, Hannover, Germany
  • 2Charité University Medical Center, Department of Neonatology, Berlin, Germany
  • 3Northeastern University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Boston, United States
  • 4Hannover Medical School, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hannover, Germany
  • 5Hannover Medical School, Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Hannover, Germany

Objective: Several studies have identified circulating biomarkers to be associated with the presence and severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Recent evidence supports a role for Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and the mineralocorticoid aldosterone in left ventricular failure. However, studies on aldosterone together with Gal-3 in PAH are lacking.

Methods: A total of 57 patients, 41 with idiopathic PAH (IPAH) and 16 with PAH associated with connective tissue disease (CTD), and 8 age-matched, non-relative controls were studied. Gal-3, aldosterone and other potential protein biomarker plasma concentrations were measured by single ELISA and multi-array MSD technology.

Results: Gal-3 levels were increased in both patients with IPAH (12.2 ± 0.6ng/mL; p< 0.05) and with PAH-CTD (14.1 ± 1.6ng/mL; p< 0.05) versus control (8.5 ± 0.9ng/mL), while aldosterone was significantly elevated in IPAH only (248.5 ± 38.8pg/mL vs. control 71.9 ± 18.2pg/mL; p< 0.05). In addition, aldosterone, Gal-3, and NT-proBNP levels were all higher in patients in WHO functional class II-III versus PAH functional class I or controls. The vascular injury marker intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) was increased in IPAH and CTD-PAH vs controls (559.5 ± 18.2pg/mL and 734.1 ± 59.4pg/mL vs. controls 394.8 ± 39.3pg/mL, p< 0.05, p< 0.0001, respectively), whereas vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and proinflammatory, antiangiogenic interleukin 12 (IL-12) were elevated in CTD-PAH only (879.5 ± 110.0pg/mL and 391.2 ± 70.3pg/mL vs. controls 489.8 ± 44.6pg/mL, p< 0.01 and 102.1 ± 15.2pg/mL, p< 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion: Heightened galectin-3 and aldosterone plasma levels in PAH patients indicate a role for galectin-3 signaling in the pathobiology of IPAH and PAH-CTD, and may serve as tandem biomarkers for functional status and progression of disease.