title: Galectin-3 Is Associated with Restrictive Lung Disease and Interstitial Lung Abnormalities.
abstract: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) has been implicated in the development of pulmonary fibrosis in experimental studies, and Gal-3 levels have been found to be elevated in small studies of human pulmonary fibrosis.
  
  
  
  We sought to study whether circulating Gal-3 concentrations are elevated early in the course of pulmonary fibrosis.
  
  
  
  We examined 2,596 Framingham Heart Study participants (mean age, 57 yr; 54% women; 14% current smokers) who underwent Gal-3 assessment using plasma samples and pulmonary function testing between 1995 and 1998. Of this sample, 1,148 underwent subsequent volumetric chest computed tomography.
  
  
  
  Higher Gal-3 concentrations were associated with lower lung volumes (1.4% decrease in percentage of predicted FEV1 per 1 SD increase in log Gal-3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8-2.0%; P < 0.001; 1.2% decrease in percentage of predicted FVC; 95% CI, 0.6-1.8%; P < 0.001) and decreased diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (2.1% decrease; 95% CI, 1.3-2.9%; P < 0.001). These associations remained significant after multivariable adjustment (P ≤ 0.008 for all). Compared with the lowest quartile, participants in the highest Gal-3 quartile were more than twice as likely to have interstitial lung abnormalities visualized by computed tomography (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.49-4.76; P < 0.001).
  
  
  
  Elevated Gal-3 concentrations are associated with interstitial lung abnormalities coupled with a restrictive pattern, including decreased lung volumes and altered gas exchange. These findings suggest a potential role for Gal-3 in early stages of pulmonary fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.|2 Framingham Heart Study, NHLBI, Framingham, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7987-4768
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: 2 Framingham Heart Study, NHLBI, Framingham, Massachusetts.|4 Population Sciences Branch, Division of Intramural Research, NHLBI, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: 5 Cardiovascular Medicine Section, Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Rajalakshmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santhanakrishnan
authors.affiliation: 6 Center for Pulmonary Functional Imaging.|7 Department of Radiology, and.
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.affiliation: 8 Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Ivan O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.affiliation: 6 Center for Pulmonary Functional Imaging.|7 Department of Radiology, and.
authors.forename: Hiroto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hatabu
authors.affiliation: 9 Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, and.|10 Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; and.
authors.forename: Jeanne C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Latourelle
authors.affiliation: 6 Center for Pulmonary Functional Imaging.|7 Department of Radiology, and.
authors.forename: Mizuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishino
authors.affiliation: 2 Framingham Heart Study, NHLBI, Framingham, Massachusetts.|3 Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Josée
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dupuis
authors.affiliation: 6 Center for Pulmonary Functional Imaging.|8 Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: George R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Washko
authors.affiliation: 2 Framingham Heart Study, NHLBI, Framingham, Massachusetts.|9 Pulmonary Center, Department of Medicine, and.
authors.forename: George T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: 6 Center for Pulmonary Functional Imaging.|8 Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hunninghake
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3
keywords: biomarker; epidemiology; interstitial lung disease; pulmonary fibrosis