ROLE OF THE GALECTIN-3 MARKER IN CHRONIC HEART FAILURE

Abstract

Introduction. Over decades, chronic heart failure has remained one of the most pressing health problems in most developed countries, including the Russian Federation. New methods are being actively developed and implemented to enable early diagnosis and stratification of the heart failure risk. A particular importance is attached to the search for heart failure markers that allow very accurately predicting the course of the disease. In recent years, galectin-3 is a novel heart-failure biomarker. Aim. This study was aimed at analyzing the modern scientific research and publications dealing with the role of galectin-3 in heart failure pathogenesis and with the possibility of using it as a biomarker. Material and Methods. Russian and foreign literary sources were analyzed, related to the issues under study over the years 2002-2023. Results and Discussion. Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside-binding lectin that is secreted in human tissue by macrophages. Galectin-3 is an important factor in the heart failure pathophysiology, mainly because of its role in remodeling the heart ventricles, due to the activation of fibroblasts for collagen secretion, which is excessively deposited around cardiomyocytes. Various studies were conducted that had demonstrated a positive correlation between the galectin-3 level and the heart damage degree, particularly its left ventricle. Studying patients with chronic heart failure and frailty also showed a positive relationship between the galectin-3 level and the frailty severity. Sarcopenic obesity in patients suffering from chronic heart failure significantly worsens their prognosis. Conclusions. Analysis of available literature data allows us to consider galectin-3 a structurally unique and functionally important compound expressed by various tissues and cells of the body. Galectin-3 level in plasma positively correlates with the severity of changes in the heart structure and functions. Thus, galectin-3 may be a promising biomarker of chronic heart failure occurrence and progression.