Issue 12/2025
Kostova, P.1, Hristova, Zh.2, Georgieva, B.1, Petrova, G.1, Mileva, S.1
1 University Hospital “Aleksandrovska”, Department of Pediatrics – Sofia
2 University Hospital “Aleksandrovska”, Central Clinical Laboratory – Sofia
The article examines the role of galectin-3 (Gal-3) as a potential biomarker for assessing the risk of airway remodeling in children with recurrent bronchoobstructive manifestations (RW) and cystic fibrosis (CF). Early obstructive episodes are a heterogeneous syndrome – in some children they are transient, but in others they reflect the onset of persistent asthma and early remodeling. Remodeling includes structural changes such as thickening of the reticular basement membrane, smooth muscle hypertrophy, increased vascularization, and subepithelial fibrosis, which can occur as early as infancy. Due to the limitations of invasive methods, reliable noninvasive markers of these changes are sought. Gal-3 is involved in key processes such as inflammation, fibrogenesis, and cell activation and is elevated in various chronic lung diseases. In a study of 48 children, it was found that elevated levels of Gal-3 were found even in infants with frequent obstructions and correlated with their frequency, suggesting early remodeling. In CF, Gal-3 was significantly elevated in homozygotes for ΔF508 with proven bronchiectasis, which positions it as a marker of structural changes, not just inflammation. The data support the use of Gal-3 for risk stratification, early detection of children with high remodeling potential, and optimization of the therapeutic approach. Larger studies are needed to clarify the threshold value and clinical validity.
Keywords: galectin-3, airway remodeling