Clinical implications of galectin-3, N-cadherin, and E-cadherin as potential biomarkers in childhood epilepsy.

BACKGROUND

Refractory epilepsy in children remains a major clinical challenge, often resistant to standard antiseizure therapies. Identifying novel biomarkers may open new avenues for understanding disease mechanisms and predicting treatment response. This study investigated serum Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and cadherins as potential biomarkers in pediatric epilepsy.

METHODS

We analyzed serum samples from 30 children with refractory epilepsy, 33 patients on antiseizure drug monotherapy (valproic acid, levetiracetam, carbamazepine), and 66 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Commercial ELISA assays were used to quantify Gal-3, N-cadherin (N-cad), and E-cadherin (E-cad) levels.

RESULTS

Gal-3 levels were markedly elevated in both epilepsy groups compared with controls (p < 0.001), with the highest concentrations observed in the polytherapy subgroup. In contrast, N-cad expression was reduced among epilepsy patients, although children on polytherapy exhibited relatively higher levels than those on monotherapy. No significant differences were found for E-cad.

CONCLUSION

Elevated Gal-3 is strongly associated with drug resistance, whereas reduced N-cadherin may reflect underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of epilepsy. To our knowledge, this is the first pediatric study evaluating Gal-3 alongside cadherins. These findings highlight their potential as novel biomarkers of disease progression and treatment response, offering a foundation for future biomarker-driven therapeutic strategies in childhood epilepsy.