English 
Italian CONTRIBUTI SCIENTIFICI – Scientific Papers
Volume:
Biochimica Clinica 2019; 43(3) 289-295
Pubblicato on-line:
June 10, 2019
DOI:
10.19186/BC_2019.025
Galectin-3 and Lp(a) plasma concentrations and advanced carotid atherosclerotic plaques: correlation with plaque presence and features
AUTORI
1Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli
2 CEINGE S.C.a r.l. Biotecnologie Avanzate, Napoli
3 Sezione di Biochimica Clinica e Medicina Molecolare Clinica, Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo
4 Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Avanzate, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli
5 Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli
6 Unità Operativa Complessa Medicina di laboratorio, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Policlinico P. Giaccone, Palermo
ABSTRACT
Introduction: atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity worldwide. It consists in thedevelopment of plaques in the intima media layers of arteries due to lipid accumulation and oxidation, causingmassive inflammation. We aim to better understand the role of Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] aspossible peripheral markers of plaque presence.
Methods: Gal-3 and Lp(a) were measured in plasma samples from 99 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomyand 78 healthy controls, by immunometric assays. Plaques were classified histologically, according to the AmericanHeart Association (AHA) guidelines as type Va (fibroatheroma), Vb (mainly calcific) and Vl (complicated lesion).
Results: Gal-3 and Lp(a) plasma levels are higher in patients compared to controls [19.8 ng/mL (SD 5.8) vs 14.0ng/mL (3.6)], p<0.0001 and 8.4 mg/dL (IQR 4.0-25.1) vs 4.7 mg/dL (2.4-12.7), p=0.0003, respectively). Analysis ofROC curves confirmed the discriminating power of these markers obtaining an area under the curve of 0.806(p<0.0001) for Gal-3 and 0.657 (p=0.0001) for Lp(a). At multivariate logistic regression, Gal-3 and Lp(a) plasma levelswere associated with plaque presence independently of each other as well as of age, sex, LDL-C levels and previousmyocardial infarction with an odds ratio of 1.22 (95%CI 1.08-1.38, p=0.002) and 1.05 (1.00-1.09, p=0.048)respectively. No differences of Gal-3 and Lp(a) plasma levels were observed among the plaque types.
Conclusion: our data showed that Gal-3 and Lp(a) are reliable markers of advanced atherosclerotic plaques. Theabsence of differences among the different lesion types suggests that the increase of Gal-3 and Lp(a) is independentof the specific plaque features.