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Assessment of Galectin-3 Polymorphism in Subjects with Chronic Chagas Disease
Gabriela da Silva Cruz1, Ana Luiza Dias Angelo1, Ticiana Ferreira Larocca1
1Centro de Biotecnologia e Terapia Celular, Hospital São Rafael, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Insights
Genetic variations in galectin-3 (single nucleotide polymorphisms) do not appear to influence the development of cardiac complications in Chagas disease patients. This study found no link between specific galectin-3 gene variants and the cardiac form of the disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Genetics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Galectin-3 is implicated in cardiac fibrosis and cardiovascular events.
- Genetic polymorphisms in cytokine genes correlate with Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.
- The link between galectin-3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and Chagas disease phenotypes is unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if galectin-3 gene polymorphisms predispose individuals to cardiac manifestations of Chagas disease.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of 55 Chagas disease patients.
- Genotyping of galectin-3 gene variants (rs4644 and rs4652) using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between galectin-3 SNP rs4644 genotypes (AA, AC, CC) and the cardiac form of Chagas disease.
- Similarly, no association was observed between galectin-3 SNP rs4652 genotypes (AA, AC, CC) and cardiac involvement.
- Statistical analysis showed no increased risk or protective effect for any genotype regarding cardiac complications.
Conclusions:
- The study found no association between the investigated galectin-3 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the cardiac form of Chagas disease.
- These findings suggest that galectin-3 genetic variations may not be a significant factor in the development of Chagas heart disease.
Background:
Galectin-3, a β-galactoside binding lectin, has been described as a mediator of cardiac fibrosis in experimental studies and as a risk factor associated with cardiovascular events in subjects with heart failure. Previous studies have evaluated the genetic susceptibility to Chagas disease in humans, including the polymorphisms of cytokine genes, demonstrating correlations between the genetic polymorphism and cardiomyopathy development in the chronic phase. However, the relationship between the galectin-3 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and phenotypic variations in Chagas disease has not been evaluated.
Objective:
The present study aimed to determine whether genetic polymorphisms of galectin-3 may predispose to the development of cardiac forms of Chagas disease.
Methods:
Fifty-five subjects with Chagas disease were enrolled in this observational study. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for genotyping the variants rs4644 and rs4652 of the galectin-3 gene.
Results:
For the SNP rs4644, the relative risk for the cardiac form was not associated with the genotypes AA (OR = 0.79, p = 0.759), AC (OR = 4.38, p = 0.058), or CC (OR = 0.39, p = 0.127). Similarly, for the SNP rs4652, no association was found between the genotypes AA (OR = 0.64, p = 0.571), AC (OR = 2.85, p = 0.105), or CC (OR = 0.49, p = 0.227) and the cardiac form of the disease.
Conclusion:
Our results showed no association between the different genotypes for both SNPs of the galectin-3 gene and the cardiac form of Chagas disease.
