Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 11, 2025

Live Images of GLUT4 Protein Trafficking in Mouse Primary Hypothalamic Neurons Using Deconvolution Microscopy
Published on: December 7, 2017
Galectin-1 is inversely associated with type 2 diabetes independently of obesity - A SCAPIS pilot study
Emanuel Fryk1, Lena Strindberg1, Annika Lundqvist1
1Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Wallenberg Laboratory, Institute of Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Objectives:
Galectin-1 is a recently discovered adipokine that increases with obesity and increased energy intake in adipose tissue. Our aim was to assess whether serum galectin-1 is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and other parameters of the metabolic syndrome independently of body mass index (BMI) in a cohort from the general population.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional population-based cohort study from the western part of Sweden, we investigated associations between serum galectin-1, clinical characteristics and inflammatory markers in 989 women and men aged 50-65 years [part of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) pilot cohort].
Results:
We showed in linear models that serum galectin-1 was independently and: (1) inversely associated with T2D (p < 0.05) and glucose (p < 0.05); and (2) positively associated with age (p < 0.01), sex (p < 0.01), BMI (p < 0.01), insulin (p < 0.01) and C-reactive protein (p < 0.01). Furthermore, galectin-1 demonstrated univariate correlations with triglycerides (r = 0.20, p < 0.01), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (r = 0.24, p < 0.01), tumor necrosis factor-α (r = 0.24, p < 0.01), interleukin-6 (IL-6; r = 0.20, p < 0.01) and HbA1c (r = 0.14, p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
In a cross-sectional study of a middle-aged population, we showed that serum galectin-1 is: (1) inversely associated with T2D independently of BMI; and (2) independently associated with other markers of the metabolic syndrome These results warrant prospective and functional studies on the role of galectin-1 in T2D.
Related Concept Videos
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...
Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...
Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine
Glucose Transporters
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...

