Serum galectin-3 and TGF-beta levels in patients with sarcoidosis

Abstract

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous disease that develops with non-caseified granuloma formation. Galectin-3 is a multifunctional protein operating in biological processes such as fibrosis, angiogenesis, and immune activation.

Purpose: This study evaluates the levels of serum galectin-3 and TGF-beta in sarcoidosis patients to determine a possible correlation with clinical findings.

Material and method: Forty-four biopsy-proven sarcoidosis patients followed in a single centre and 41 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included in the study. The levels of serum galectin-3 and TGF-beta were evaluated by ELISA method.

Results: Among the 44 sarcoidosis patients, 13(29.5%) were male and 31(70.5%) were female. The average patient age was 47.4 and the average disease duration was 3.2 years. The level of serum galectin-3 was found to be the same as in the control group and had no significance statistically (p=.977). No correlation was determined between the level of serum galectin-3 and clinical and laboratory findings of sarcoidosis (p>.05). The level of serum TGF-beta was found to be higher in the sarcoidosis patients when compared to that of the control group (p=.005). While a correlation was found between serum TGF-beta and enthesitis, sacroiliitis, and arthralgia (p=.006, p=.034, p=.02), no correlation was determined on the other clinical and laboratory findings (p>.05).

Conclusion: While the level of serum galectin-3 was determined to be normal in sarcoidosis patients, a high level of serum TGF-beta was found. These findings show that TGF-beta may play an important role in sarcoidosis pathogenesis and the formation of granuloma.