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A Possible Role of Galectin-9 in the Pulmonary Fibrosis of Patients with Interstitial Pneumonia

Lung volume 191, pages 191–198 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a β-galactoside-binding protein that induces biological reactions, such as cell activation, chemoattraction, and apoptosis. We evaluated the role of Gal-9 in the pathogenesis of interstitial pneumonia (IP).

Methods

Gal-9 levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with IP associated with collagen vascular disease (CVD-IP) and with idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs), including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (idiopathic NSIP), were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gal-9 expression in the lungs of these patients was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The effect of Gal-9 on the growth and apoptosis of human lung fibroblast cells was assessed in vitro.

Results

Gal-9 levels in the BALF were significantly higher in patients with CVD-IP than in patients with IIPs. Gal-9 levels significantly correlated with both the total cell count and the absolute number of lymphocytes in the BALF of patients with IIPs and CVD-IP. Strong reactivity with anti-Gal-9 antibody was observed in the cytoplasm of alveolar macrophages, lymphocytes, and type II pneumocytes in the lungs of patients with IP. Gal-9 expression in those cells was more remarkable in patients with CVD-IP than in patients with IPF and idiopathic NSIP. Gal-9 suppressed the growth of human lung fibroblast cells in a dose- dependent manner. Gal-9 induced apoptosis of human lung fibroblast cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the expression level of Gal-9 in the lung is increased in patients with CVD-IP and that Gal-9 may have a protective role against pulmonary fibrosis of these patients.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mrs. Sachie Maeda for her skilled assistance.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Affiliations

  1. Neurology, Respirology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan

    Nobuhiro Matsumoto, Shigehisa Yanagi, Yasuji Arimura, Masatoshi Tokojima & Masamitsu Nakazato

  2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan

    Shigeki Katoh

  3. Department of Inflammation Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan

    Masaki Ueno

  4. Department of Immunology and Immunopathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan

    Mitsuomi Hirashima

Authors
  1. Nobuhiro Matsumoto
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  2. Shigeki Katoh
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  3. Shigehisa Yanagi
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  4. Yasuji Arimura
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  5. Masatoshi Tokojima
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  6. Masaki Ueno
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  7. Mitsuomi Hirashima
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  8. Masamitsu Nakazato
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nobuhiro Matsumoto.

Additional information

Nobuhiro Matsumoto and Shigeki Katoh contributed equally to this work.

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Matsumoto, N., Katoh, S., Yanagi, S. et al. A Possible Role of Galectin-9 in the Pulmonary Fibrosis of Patients with Interstitial Pneumonia. Lung 191, 191–198 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-012-9446-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-012-9446-0

Keywords

  • Galectin-9
  • Interstitial pneumonia
  • Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
  • Interstitial pneumonia associated with collagen vascular disease