Plasma Galectin-7 (Gal-7) and Galectin-8 (Gal-8) as Emerging Biomarkers in Psoriasis: Associations with Disease Activity and Metabolic Status.

Background

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated skin disorder characterized by accelerated epidermal turnover. Galectins are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins that play crucial roles in various biological processes.

Methods

This study aimed to assess the plasma concentrations of galectin 7 and 8 (gal-7 and 8) in 60 psoriatic patients compared to the control group of 30 individuals without dermatoses.

Results

The median gal-7 plasma concentration in patients was 188.8 (11.43-1406) pg/mL, and it was significantly higher than in controls (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between gal-7 concentration and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI; R = 0.3, p = 0.0199), and a negative with RBC (R = -0.41, p < 0.001), hemoglobin concentration (R = -0.34, p < 0.01), total cholesterol (R = -0.38, p < 0.01) and LDL concentration (R = -0.36, p < 0.05). In contrast, gal-7 was not correlated with psoriasis duration or patients' age or sex (p > 0.05). The median gal-8 plasma concentration in patients was 0.07 (0.02-0.5) ng/mL, and was significantly higher in patients than controls (p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between gal-8 concentration and glucose concentration (R = 0.26, p < 0.05). Gal-8 concentration was not correlated with PASI, BMI, age or sex of patients (p > 0.05). We also analyzed the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to evaluate the predictive power of gal-7 and 8 for psoriasis. Gal-7 achieved statistical significance in predicting psoriasis and had an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.842 (p < 0.001), a sensitivity of 80%, and a specificity of 86.7%, whereas gal-8 had an AUC value of 0.644 (p = 0.025), a sensitivity of 81%, and a specificity of 47%.

Conclusions

Gal-7 and gal-8 could potentially serve as psoriasis biomarkers, whereby gal-7 could also serve as a marker of its severity. Future studies are needed to clarify their actual role or potential as therapeutic targets in psoriasis. Understanding their precise functions may open new perspectives for personalized treatment strategies in psoriatic patients.