Psoriasis is a complex disease that nowadays is considered not only a dermatosis but a kind of systemic disorder associated with many accompanying diseases. Metabolic complications leading to cardiovascular incidences are the cause of increased mortality in psoriatic patients. Galectins (gal) are beta-galactoside-binding lectins that exert different functions, including engagement in metabolic processes. Our aim was to assess the concentrations of gal-1, 2 and 12 in psoriatics, to establish their potential clinical implications, including in metabolic complications. Plasma galectins were assessed by ELISA in 60 psoriatic patients and 30 controls without dermatoses and a negative family history of psoriasis. Plasma concentrations of all galectins were significantly higher in patients than controls (gal-1 with p < 0.001, gal-2 and 12 with p < 0.05). There were no correlations between galectins concentrations and psoriasis severity in PASI or disease duration (p > 0.05). Gal-1 and 12 were significantly negatively correlated with GFR (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively) and gal-2 with HDL (p < 0.05). Gal-2 was significantly positively correlated with CRP (p < 0.05) and gal-12 with fasting glucose (p < 0.01). Based on the results and given the reported role of galectins in metabolic disorders we may conclude that gal-1, 2 and 12 could be potentially engaged in metabolic complications in psoriatics, most probably in atherosclerosis. Gal-2 could be perhaps further investigated as a marker of metabolically induced inflammation in psoriasis, gal-1 and gal-12 as predictors of renal impairment in psoriatics due to metabolic disorders. Potentially, gal-12 could be considered in the future as a marker of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in psoriatics.
Keywords: atherosclerosis; gal-1; gal-12; gal-2; galectin; galectin 1; galectin 12; galectin 2; metabolic syndrome; psoriasis.