title: Circulating galectin-1 concentrations in systemic sclerosis: potential contribution to digital vasculopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine serum galectin-1 levels and their clinical associations in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum galectin-1 levels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 66 patients with SSc and 24 healthy individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were observed in serum galectin-1 levels between patients with SSc (9.4 ± 5.6 ng/mL), and healthy individuals (8.9 ± 1.3 ng/mL). Among patients with SSc, no significant differences were seen in serum galectin-1 levels between those with diffuse cutaneous SSc (8.8 ± 5.7 ng/mL; n = 31) and those with limited cutaneous SSc (10.0 ± 5.4 ng/mL; n = 35). Patients with SSc who had increased galectin-1 levels less often had pitting scars/digital ulcers than those with normal galectin-1 levels (17% vs. 49%; P < 0.01). Consistently, galectin-1 levels were significantly lower in SSc patients with pitting scars/digital ulcers than in those without pitting scars/digital ulcers (6.9 ± 4.8 vs. 10.9 ± 5.5 ng/mL; P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that galectin-1 is a protective factor against the development of digital vasculopathy in SSc. In addition, measurement of serum galectin-1 levels may be useful for risk stratification for the development of digital vasculopathy in the early phase of SSc.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Yanaba
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Yoshihide
authors: Y
authors: Asano
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Kaname
authors: K
authors: Akamata
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Noda
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Naohiko
authors: N
authors: Aozasa
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Taniguchi
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Takehiro
authors: T
authors: Takahashi
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Tetsuo
authors: T
authors: Toyama
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Yohei
authors: Y
authors: Ichimura
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Hayakazu
authors: H
authors: Sumida
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Yoshihiro
authors: Y
authors: Kuwano
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Miki
authors: M
authors: Miyazaki
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Shinichi
authors: S
authors: Sato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065840:Protective Factors; D012307:Risk Factors; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037483:Galectin 1; C445499:LGALS1 protein, human
keywords: ELISA; digital ulcer; galectin-1; systemic sclerosis; vasculopathy