Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury: Apoptotic, Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Role of Galectin-3

Cell Physiol Biochem. 2018;50(3):1123-1139. doi: 10.1159/000494539. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Abstract

Background/aims: Myocardial reperfusion has the potential to salvage the ischemic myocardium after a period of coronary occlusion. Reperfusion, however, can cause a wide spectrum of deleterious effects. Galectin-3 (GAL-3), a beta galactoside binding lectin, is closely associated with myocardial infarction (MI), myocardial fibrosis and heart failure. In our study, we investigated its role in ischemia-reperfusion injuries (IR) as this phenomenon is extremely relevant to the early intervention after acute MI.

Methods: C57B6/J wild type (WT) mice and GAL-3 knockout (KO) mice were used for murine model of IR injury in the heart where a period of 30 minutes ischemia was followed by 24 hours of reperfusion. Heart samples were processed for immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent labeling, morphometric analysis, western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to identify the apoptotic, inflammatory and oxidative stress role of GAL-3.

Results: Our results show that there was a significant increase in GAL-3 levels in the heart which shows GAL-3 is playing a role in the ischemia reperfusion injury. Troponin I was also significantly higher in GAL-3-KO group than wild type. Our study shows that GAL-3 is associated with an increase in the antioxidant activity in the IR injured myocardium. Antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, glutathione and catalase were found to be significantly raised in the GAL-3 wild type IR as compared to the GAL-3 KO IR group. A significant increase in apoptotic activity is seen in GAL-3 KO IR group as compared with GAL-3 wild IR group.

Conclusion: Our study shows that GAL-3 can affect the redox pathways, controlling cell survival and death, and plays a protective role on the myocardium following IR injury.

Keywords: Galectin 3; Heart; Myocardial ischemia reperfusion.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis*
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Catalase / metabolism
  • Galectin 3 / analysis
  • Galectin 3 / genetics
  • Galectin 3 / metabolism*
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Heart Ventricles / metabolism
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Interleukin-6 / analysis
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / metabolism
  • Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / pathology
  • Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / veterinary
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Troponin I / blood
  • Troponin I / metabolism
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Galectin 3
  • Interleukin-6
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Troponin I
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • Catalase
  • Peroxidase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Caspase 3
  • Glutathione