Galectin-3: a potential biomarker for diagnostics of heart failure

Heart failure is a dysfunction with varied ethology; one of possible causes is anticancer treatment with anthracyclines. Rapid diagnosis is important because the disease is associated with high mortality and morbidity. The only biomarkers fully approved for diagnostics of heart failure are natriuretic peptides. They are secreted by ventricular muscle cells in response to volume and pressure overload. However, their concentration can be influenced by other factors, such as age or gender. A potential marker, not affected by these issues might be galectin-3. Current studies showed that galectin can play particularly significant role in myocardial fibrosis and inflammation. Elevated galectin-3 concentration has been observed in such cardiovascular diseases as heart failure, atherosclerosis, stroke and myocardial infarction. The review summarizes results of studies which indicate the role of galectin-3 in inducing fibrosis and cardiac remodelling (processes which influence disease progression and prognosis) and showed its potential diagnostic value.Heart failure is a dysfunction with varied ethology; one of possible causes is anticancer treatment with anthracyclines. Rapid diagnosis is important because the disease is associated with high mortality and morbidity. The only biomarkers fully approved for diagnostics of heart failure are natriuretic peptides. They are secreted by ventricular muscle cells in response to volume and pressure overload. However, their concentration can be influenced by other factors, such as age or gender. A potential marker, not affected by these issues might be galectin-3. Current studies showed that galectin can play particularly significant role in myocardial fibrosis and inflammation. Elevated galectin-3 concentration has been observed in such cardiovascular diseases as heart failure, atherosclerosis, stroke and myocardial infarction. The review summarizes results of studies which indicate the role of galectin-3 in inducing fibrosis and cardiac remodelling (processes which influence disease progression and prognosis) and showed its potential diagnostic value