Relationship between serum 25-hydroxyl-vitamin D3 levels and galectin-3 levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in children with asthma

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the changes of the levels of galectin-3(Gal-3) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with asthma whose have different serum levels of 25-hydroxyl-vitamin D3[25(OH)D3]. Methods Fifty children with asthma between January 2013 and December 2014 were enrolled as the asthma group, and they were classified into 25(OH)D3 sufficient (n=7), insufficient (n=12) and deficient subgroups (n=31) according to the serum levels of 25(OH)D3. Twenty children with abnormal airway or tracheal foreign bodies served as the control group. The levels of 25(OH)D3, Gal-3 and total IgE in serum and Gal-3 levels in BALF were measured using ELISA. Results The serum levels of 25(OH)D3 in the asthma group were lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The 25(OH)D3 deficient subgroup displayed the highest percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF, followed by the 25(OH)D3 insufficient subgroup and the 25(OH)D3 sufficient subgroup (P<0.05). The percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF in the three subgroups were all higher than in the control group (P<0.05). In children with asthma, serum levels of 25(OH)D3 were negatively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r=-0.683, -0.795 and -0.670 respectively; P<0.05); and a negative correlation was also seen between serum 25(OH)D3 levels and serum Gal-3 and total IgE levels (r=-0.759 and -0.875 respectively; P<0.05). Conclusions The children with asthma have low serum levels of 25(OH) D3. 25(OH) D3 and Gal-3 may be involved in the airway inflammation and the development of asthma.