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Galectin-3 Levels in Pediatric Cholestatic Liver Disease

D. Yoeli1, Z. Wang1, Y. Luo2, A. Chaidez2, M. A. Adams1, C. A. Huang1, C. L. Mack2, N. Navarro Alvarez1

1Transplant Surgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, 2Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO

Meeting: 2021 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 549

Keywords: Infant, Inflammation, Liver, Pediatric

Topic: Basic Science » Biomarker Discovery and Immune Modulation

Session Information

Session Name: Biomarker Discovery and Immune Modulation

Session Type: Poster Abstract

Session Date & Time: None. Available on demand.

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: Biliary atresia (BA) and other cholestatic liver diseases (CLD) are the most common indications for liver transplantation in children. Research on galectin-3, a protein involved in immune regulation and fibrosis, in CLD of children is limited. We hypothesize that galectin-3 is significantly elevated in pediatric CLD and in a murine model of BA.

*Methods: A model of BA was induced in neonatal BALB/c mice with intraperitoneal injection of Rhesus rotavirus (RRV) or salt solution (controls) within 24 hours of life. The mice were sacrificed at 2 weeks and serum pooled (3-5 mice per pool). Plasma was collected from pediatric liver transplant recipients with CLD at time of transplant. Plasma from children without liver disease were used for comparison. Galectin-3 levels were measured using ELISA kits. A human galectin-3 level of < 17.8 ng/mL was considered normal, 17.8 - 25.9 ng/mL mildly elevated, and greater than 25.9 ng/mL extremely elevated, as previously defined. Data is presented as mean (standard deviation) and compared using Student’s t-test or Chi-squared test.

*Results: Serum from 5 pools of BA and 4 pools of control mice was collected. Mean galectin-3 level was 230.4 (±96.8) ng/mL in the BA and 104.1 (±13.8) ng/mL in the control mice groups (p=.04, Figure 1). Plasma was collected from 15 CLD liver transplant recipients (11 BA, 3 Alagille’s Syndrome, 1 PFIC) and 12 controls. The ages of the CLD and control groups were not significantly different (3.8 [±5.4] vs. 4.7 [±5.4] years, respectively; p =0.7). Mean galectin-3 level was 29.2 (±17.0) ng/mL in the CLD and 13.0 (±5.7) ng/mL in the control group (p=.004, Figure 2). In the CLD group, 4 (27%) had normal, 3 (20%) had mildly elevated, and 8 (53%) had extremely elevated galectin-3 levels. This was significantly greater than controls, who had 10 (83%) normal and 2 (17%) mildly elevated galectin-3 levels (p=0.005).

*Conclusions: Galectin-3 is elevated in children with CLD undergoing liver transplant. This elevation is also reflected in a murine model of biliary atresia, which can guide future mechanistic and therapeutic studies of this disease.

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To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Yoeli D, Wang Z, Luo Y, Chaidez A, Adams MA, Huang CA, Mack CL, Alvarez NNavarro. Galectin-3 Levels in Pediatric Cholestatic Liver Disease [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2021; 21 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/galectin-3-levels-in-pediatric-cholestatic-liver-disease/. Accessed June 1, 2025.

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