@article {Calvier390, author = {Laurent Calvier and Ekaterina Legchenko and Lena Grimm and Hannes Sallmon and Adam Hatch and Brian D Plouffe and Christoph Schroeder and Johann Bauersachs and Shashi K Murthy and Georg Hansmann}, title = {Galectin-3 and aldosterone as potential tandem biomarkers in pulmonary arterial hypertension}, volume = {102}, number = {5}, pages = {390--396}, year = {2016}, doi = {10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308365}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group Ltd}, abstract = {Background 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 mineralcorticoid aldosterone in left ventricular failure. However, studies on aldosterone together with Gal-3 in PAH are lacking.Objective We investigated a novel Aldosterone-galectin-3 (Gal-3) tandem and several other potential PAH biomarkers and their association with the disease severity.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 plasma concentrations were measured by single ELISA and multi-array MSD (Meso Scale Discovery) technology.Results Gal-3 values were increased in both patients with IPAH (12.2{\textpm}0.6 ng/mL; p\<0.05) and with PAH-CTD (14.1{\textpm}1.6 ng/mL; p\<0.05) versus control (8.5{\textpm}0.9 ng/mL), while aldosterone was significantly elevated in IPAH only (248.5{\textpm}38.8 pg/mL vs control 71.9{\textpm}18.2 pg/mL; p\<0.05). In addition, aldosterone, Gal-3, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) values were all higher in patients in WHO functional class II{\textendash}III versus PAH functional class I or controls. The vascular injury marker intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) was increased in IPAH and PAH-CTD versus controls (559.5{\textpm}18.2 pg/mL and 734.1{\textpm}59.4 pg/mL vs controls 394.8{\textpm}39.3 pg/mL, p\<0.05, p\<0.0001, respectively), whereas vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and proinflammatory, anti-angiogenic interleukin-12 (IL-12) were elevated in PAH-CTD only (879.5{\textpm}110.0 pg/mL and 391.2{\textpm}70.3 pg/mL vs controls 489.8{\textpm}44.6 pg/mL, p\<0.01, and 102.1{\textpm}15.2 pg/mL, p\<0.01, respectively).Conclusions Heightened Gal-3 and aldosterone plasma concentrations in PAH patients indicate a role for Gal-3 signalling in the pathobiology of IPAH and PAH-CTD, and may serve as biomarkers for functional status and progression of disease.}, issn = {1355-6037}, URL = {https://heart.bmj.com/content/102/5/390}, eprint = {https://heart.bmj.com/content/102/5/390.full.pdf}, journal = {Heart} }