Elevated production of galectin-3 is correlated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis disease activity, severity, and progression

Objectives: Galectin‐3 is a carbohydrate‐binding protein that plays many important regulatory roles in inflammation, immunity and cancers. Recent studies indicate that galectin‐3 plays a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis and progression. Therefore, we sought to characterize the expression pattern and role of galectin‐3 in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to explore whether galectin‐3 investigated in serum and synovial fluid was associated with clinical, laboratory and radiological variables of JIA disease activity and severity. Methods: Levels of galectin‐3 in serum and synovial fluid from patients with JIA and controls were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Median (interquartile range) serum galectin‐3 concentrations (ng/mL) were increasingly higher across the following groups: healthy controls (8.1 [4.9–16.7]), total JIA children with inactive disease (18.6 [9.7–28.8], P = 0.00039 vs. controls) and active disease (35.8 [15.8–60.8], P = 0.000012 vs. controls) (inactive vs. active, P = 0.00016). Highest serum expression was found in polyarthritic children. Galectin‐3 concentrations in paired sera and synovial fluid samples could be related to each other. Serum and synovial concentrations of galectin‐3 were positively correlated with total number of joints with active arthritis and with overall articular severity score. Patients with Larsen index and total radiographic score ≥ 1 had significant higher serum galectin‐3 levels than patients with indices and scores