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Updated: Mar 1, 2026
Immunoglobulin G N-Glycan Analysis by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography
Published on: January 18, 2020
High Expression of Galectin-3 in Patients with IgG4-Related Disease: A Proteomic Approach
Adeeb Salah1,2, Hajime Yoshifuji3, Shinji Ito4
1Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
Objectives:
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a multiorgan condition manifesting itself in different forms. This study aimed to investigate protein expression profiles and to find the possible biomarker for IgG4-RD by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using tissue sections in IgG4-RD patients.
Methods:
Protein expression profiles in five IgG4-related pancreatitis and three normal pancreatic samples were compared using LC-MS and were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. ELISA was employed in the serum of 20 patients with systemic IgG4-RD before and during steroid treatment.
Results:
LC-MS indicated that the levels of 17 proteins were significantly higher and 12 others were significantly lower in IgG4-related pancreatitis patients compared to controls. Among these proteins, galectin-3 levels were 13-fold higher in IgG4-related pancreatitis (P < 0.01). These results were confirmed by immunoblotting and qRT-PCR. The average number of galectin-3 + cells in various organs of IgG4-RD patients, including salivary glands, lungs, and lymph nodes, was higher than in controls. Galectin-3 was detectable in macrophages, dendritic cells, and stromal myofibroblast-like cells, but not in lymphocytes by immunofluorescence staining. Serum galectin-3 levels were higher in patients with IgG4-RD compared with healthy donors and remained high during steroid therapy.
Conclusion:
Galectin-3 was overexpressed in IgG4-RD and the levels were indirectly related to clinical activity.
