Galectin-1 in Stable Liver Transplant Recipients

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 93 - 96
• Main Authors: García, M.J., Jurado, F., San Segundo, D., López-Hoyos, M., Iruzubieta, P., Llerena, S., Casafont, F., Arias, M., Puente, Á., Crespo, J., Fábrega, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; Female; Galectin 1 - blood; Galectin 1 - immunology; Graft Rejection - blood; Graft Rejection - immunology; Graft Rejection - prevention & control; Humans; Immune Tolerance; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Liver Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; Surgery; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2014.12.001

The achievement of a state of tolerance and minimization of the immunosuppressive load form part of the “Holy Grail” in solid organ transplantation. Galectin-1 recently has been described to be involved in the maintenance of a tolerant environment, but there is no evidence of its role in human liver transplantation. The aim of our study was to measure the serum levels of galectin-1 in stable liver transplant recipients. Serum levels of galectin-1 were determined in 30 stable liver transplant recipients who had been free of rejection episodes for at least 8 years. Fifteen patients with an acute rejection episode and 34 healthy subjects were used as the control group. The concentrations of galectin-1 were significantly higher in stable liver transplant recipients compared with healthy subjects and with the acute rejection group. These preliminary results indicate that galectin-1 is upregulated in stable liver transplant recipients. Thus, our results extend the recent findings that galectin-1 may play an immune-suppressive role in liver transplantation. It remains to be established whether it might help to induce tolerance in liver transplantation.