Low serum galectin-3 concentrations are associated with insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Galectin-3 is a family of soluble beta-galactoside-binding lectins that play many important regulatory roles in inflammation. Galectin-3-deficient mice have been shown to exhibit excess adiposity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. We investigated the association between serum galectin-3 and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes using a glucose clamp method.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Twenty patients (mean fasting plasma glucose 7.6 mmol/L, HbA1c 7.2%, BMI 28.1 kg/m(2)) underwent a meal tolerance test and glucose clamp test. Participants were given a test meal and plasma glucose and insulin were measured at 0, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min. The glucose disposal rate was measured during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic glucose clamps. Serum galectin-3 levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.

Results: The mean serum galectin-3 level was 5103 pg/ml. Galectin-3 levels correlated significantly with the glucose disposal rate (R = 0.71, P < 0.001), fasting insulin (R = -0.56, P < 0.01), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (R = -0.52, P < 0.05), and the insulin sensitivity index (R = 0.62, P < 0.005). Galectin-3 levels also positively correlated with the serum adiponectin level (R = 0.61, P < 0.05), but not with the high-sensitive C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 and -10.

Conclusions: These results suggest that low levels of serum galectin-3 are associated with insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes.