Galectin-9 as a biomarker for disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 15; no. 1; p. e0227069
• Main Authors: Matsuoka, Naoki, Fujita, Yuya, Temmoku, Jumpei, Furuya, Makiko Yashiro, Asano, Tomoyuki, Sato, Shuzo, Matsumoto, Haruki, Kobayashi, Hiroko, Watanabe, Hiroshi, Suzuki, Eiji, Kozuru, Hideko, Yastuhashi, Hiroshi, Migita, Kiyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 27.01.2020; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Autoimmune diseases; Biological response modifiers; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - cerebrospinal fluid; Cerebrospinal fluid; Chronic conditions; Correlation analysis; CXCL10 protein; Damage assessment; Diagnosis; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Future predictions; Galactosides; Galectin-9; Galectins - blood; Galectins - cerebrospinal fluid; Genes; Genetic research; Genotype & phenotype; Health risk assessment; Hematology; Humans; Interferon; Kidneys; Laboratories; Lectins; Liver diseases; Lupus; Lupus erythematosus; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - blood; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - cerebrospinal fluid; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - diagnosis; Male; Medical research; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Middle Aged; Pathogenesis; Phenotypes; Research and Analysis Methods; Rheumatology; Serum levels; Studies; Systemic lupus erythematosus; α-Interferon; Japan
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227069

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by elevated interferon (IFN) signature genes. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a β-galactoside-binding lectin that is reportedly useful as a biomarker for IFN gene signatures. In a cross-sectional study of Japanese patients with recent-onset SLE, we aimed to determine whether raised serum Gal-9 levels were associated with the disease activity or organ damage seen in SLE patients. The current study included 58 Japanese patients with SLE and 31 age-matched healthy individuals. Disease activity and organ damage were assessed using SLE Disease Activity 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) and Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) damage index. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Gal-9 concentrations were quantified using ELISA. Correlation analyses between Gal-9 and clinical parameters including disease activity were performed. Serum levels of Gal-9 were significantly increased in patients with SLE compared with the control group (16.6 ng/ml, [interquartile range (IQR); 3.6-59.7] versus 4.74 ng/ml, [IQR; 3.0-9.5], p<0.0001). Gal-9 was significantly correlated with disease activity measures in the SLEDAI-2K. Serum Gal-9 levels were significantly greater in patients with SLE-related organ involvement (23.1 ng/ml, [IQR; 5.1-59.7] versus 12.5ng/ml, [IQR; 3.6-39.0], p = 0.013). Whereas there was no difference in serum levels of CXCL10 or M2BPGi between patients with and without SLE-related organ involvement. Serum levels of Gal-9 were significantly higher in SLE patients with active renal involvement determined by BILAG renal score (A-B) compared to those without active renal involvement (C-E). Whereas there was no significant difference in serum levels of Gal-9 between SLE patients with or without active other organ involvements (neurological or hematological) determined by BILAG score. SLE patients with detectable circulating IFN-α had raised serum Gal-9 levels. Levels of Gal-9 were significantly higher in the CSF from patients with recent-onset neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) than in those from non-SLE controls (3.5 ng/ml, [IQR; 1.0-27.2] versus 1.2 ng/ml, [IQR; 0.9-2.1], p = 0.009). Gal-9 could be a serologic marker of disease activity and organ involvement in SLE patients. Future studies evaluating the role of Gal-9 in the SLE phenotype may provide insights into SLE pathogenesis.