Plasma Galectin-4 and Charcot-Leyden Crystal Protein/Galectin-10 as Emerging Biomarkers of Metabolically Induced Inflammation in Patients with Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a complex inflammatory disease related to cardiometabolic disorders (CMDs). Galectin-4 (gal-4) is involved in biological processes such as lipid raft stabilization, intestinal inflammation and tumorigenesis. Charcot-Leyden crystals (CLCs), inter alia, Charcot-Leyden crystal/galectin-10 (CLC/gal-10), are involved in eosinophil-derived diseases. To date, neither of these galectins has been investigated in the context of psoriasis. The study aimed to evaluate serum galectin-4 and -10 levels in psoriatic patients and explore potential relationships with disease activity, metabolic or inflammatory indices. Blood samples were collected from 60 patients with plaque-type psoriasis and 30 healthy volunteers and evaluated using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Morphological and biochemical indices were measured using routine laboratory techniques. Plasma gal-4 and gal-10 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with psoriasis than in the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Galectins did not correlate with the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) nor age (<i>p</i> > 0.5); however, gal-4 showed a significant positive correlation with Body Mass Index (BMI), psoriasis duration (<i>p</i> = 0.03), and transaminase activity. Both proteins were the highest in obese psoriatics (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The results indicate that galectin-4 and galectin-10 may be involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CMDs in psoriatics. These galectins represent promising candidates for biomarkers of metabolically driven inflammation, with galectin-4, in particular, emerging as a potential indicator of hepatic dysfunction in psoriatic patients.