Elevated level of Galectin-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Rationale: Galectin-1 is a carbohydrate-binding protein involved in apoptosis, cell-proliferation and differentiation, implicated in T-cell homeostasis and survival. The aim of the present study was to determine concentrations of galectin-1 in BAL fluid from patients with IPF and other interstitial lung diseases in order to validate proteomic previous findings. Methods: 36 IPF patients (16 females, mean age of 64.8 +/- 8.9 years), 24 sarcoidosis patients (15 females, mean age of 56.3 +/- 13.4), 7 interstitial lung diseases associated to systemic sclerosis (ILD-SSc) patients (5 females, mean age of 55.5 +/- 16.4) and six healthy controls (4 females, mean age 47.8 +/- 15.2) were included. Galectin-1 concentrations were determined in BAL samples by an ELISA assay. Results: Galectin-1 concentrations were significantly higher in BAL of IPF patients than in sarcoidosis and ILD-SSc patients and healthy controls. In IPF patients, galectin-1 levels showed significant inverse correlations with DLco%, K-co% and BAL lymphocyte percentages and a positive correlation with BAL macrophage percentages. Former IPF smokers had higher concentrations of this protein compared with non-smoker IPF patients. Conclusion: Galectin-1 was confirmed a protein of interest in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Its BAL concentrations were higher in IPF patients than in controls and correlated with disease severity. Galectin-1 was suggested to have a role in the pathogenesis of IPF, principally through the ERK/MAPK pathway and the inhibition of galectin-1 is a potential therapeutic target worthy of research.