The oxidized 1‐palmitoyl‐2‐arachidonoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (ox‐PAPC) products in human high‐density lipoproteins (HDLs) were investigated by low‐flow capillary electrophoresis‐mass ...spectrometry (low‐flow CE‐MS). To accelerate the optimization, native PAPC (n‐PAPC) standard was first analyzed by a commercial CE instrument with a photodiode array detector. The optimal separation buffer contained 60% (v/v) acetonitrile, 40% (v/v) methanol, 20 mM ammonium acetate, 0.5% (v/v) formic acid, and 0.1% (v/v) water. The selected separation voltage and capillary temperature were 20 kV and 23°C. The optimal CE separation buffer was then used for the low‐flow CE‐MS analysis. The selected MS conditions contained heated capillary temperature (250°C), capillary voltage (10 V), and injection time (1 s). No sheath gas was used for MS. The linear range for n‐PAPC was 2.5–100.0 µg/mL. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.9918. The concentration limit of detection was 1.52 µg/mL, and the concentration limit of quantitation was 4.60 µg/mL. The optimal low‐flow CE‐MS method showed good repeatability and sensitivity. The ox‐PAPC products in human HDLs were determined based on the in vitro ox‐PAPC products of n‐PAPC standard. Twenty‐one ox‐PAPC products have been analyzed in human HDLs. Uremic patients showed significantly higher levels of 15 ox‐PAPC products than healthy subjects.
Rationale
Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a pancreatic disease with poor prognosis and pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal types of cancer that is symptomless in the early stage. Because ...the clinical and image findings of CP can overlap that of pancreatic cancer (PC) which leads to confusion in the diagnosis and treatment of PC, discovery/verification/validation of more accurate protein biomarkers to diagnose CP and PC is in urgent need.
Methods
The PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched using the keywords: ‘biomarker’, ‘marker’, ‘chronic pancreatitis’, “pancreatic cancer” or “proteomics” for highly related researches. We focused on the articles published after the year 2005 in this review.
Results
We introduce the background to CP and PC and summarize the diagnosis of CP and PC, analytically validated protein biomarkers, and proteomic approaches for discovery/verification/validation. The potential use of mass spectrometry (MS) in clinical diagnosis is also discussed.
Conclusions
Continuously improving sensitivity of MS can provide deeper proteome for new marker discovery and high reliability for protein marker verification, validation, and clinical diagnosis. The analytically validated protein markers could be considered as targeted protein biomarkers for developing a MS platform in the clinical validation process or clinical diagnosis of CP and PC.
Tris (dibenzylideneacetone) dipalladium (Tris DBA), a small‐molecule palladium complex, can inhibit cell growth and proliferation in pancreatic cancer, lymphocytic leukaemia and multiple myeloma. ...Given that this compound is particularly active against B‐cell malignancies, we have been suggested that it can alleviate immune complexes (ICs)–mediated conditions, especially IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The therapeutic effects of Tris DBA on glomerular cell proliferation and renal inflammation and mechanism of action were examined in a mouse model of IgAN. Treatment of IgAN mice with Tris DBA resulted in markedly improved renal function, albuminuria and renal pathology, including glomerular cell proliferation, neutrophil infiltration, sclerosis and periglomerular inflammation in the renal interstitium, together with (Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2011, 6, 1301‐1307) reduced mitochondrial ROS generation; (Am J Physiol‐Renal Physiol. 2011. 301, F1218‐F1230) differentially regulated autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome; (Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012, 7, 427‐436) inhibited phosphorylation of JNK, ERK and p38 MAPK signalling pathways, and priming signal of the NLRP3 inflammasome; and (Free Radic Biol Med. 2013, 61, 285‐297) blunted NLRP3 inflammasome activation through SIRT1‐ and SIRT3‐mediated autophagy induction, in renal tissues or cultured macrophages. In conclusion, Tris DBA effectively ameliorated the mouse IgAN model and targeted signalling pathways downstream of ICs‐mediated interaction, which is a novel immunomodulatory strategy. Further development of Tris DBA as a therapeutic candidate for IgAN is warranted.
Studies into the association between hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and end-stage renal disease are limited. We investigated the risk of end-stage renal disease after delivery among women ...with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.
We used insurance claims data from 1998 to 2009 to identify 26,651 women aged 19-40 years old who experienced hypertensive disorders during pregnancy; these women had no history of hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease or lupus. We also randomly selected 213,397 women without hypertensive disorders during pregnancy as a comparison cohort; the frequency was matched by age and index year of pregnancy. We compared the incidence of end-stage renal disease in the 2 cohorts. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after controlling for demographic and clinical factors.
Women with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy had a greater risk of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, with adjusted HRs of 9.38 (95% CI 7.09-12.4) and 12.4 (95% CI 8.54-18.0), respectively, after controlling for urban status, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hyperlipidemia and abruption. The HR for end-stage renal disease was 2.72 (95% CI 1.76-4.22) after we also controlled for hypertension and diabetes. Women with preeclampsia or eclampsia had a higher risk of end-stage renal disease (adjusted HR 14.0, 95% CI 9.43-20.7) than women who had gestational hypertension only (adjusted HR 9.03, 95% CI 5.20-15.7).
Women with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy were at a high risk of end-stage renal disease. The risk was much greater for women who had preeclampsia or eclampsia than those who had gestational hypertension only.
MALDI-TOF spectrometry has not been used for urinary exosome analysis. We used it for determining UC biomarkers. From 2012 to 2015, we enrolled 129 consecutive patients with UC and 62 participants ...without UC. Exosomes from their urine were isolated, and analyzed through MALDI-TOF spectrometry. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of another 122 UC and 26 non-UC tissues was conducted to verify the discovered biomarkers. Two peaks at m/z 5593 (fragmented peptide of alpha-1-antitrypsin; sensitivity, 50.4%; specificity, 96.9%) and m/z 5947 (fragmented peptide of histone H2B1K sensitivity, 62.0%; specificity, 92.3%) were identified as UC diagnosis exosome biomarkers. UC patients with detectable histone H2B1K showed 2.29- and 3.11-fold increased risks of recurrence and progression, respectively, compared with those with nondetectable histone H2B1K. Verification results of IHC staining revealed significantly higher expression of alpha 1-antitrypsin (p = 0.038) and H2B1K (p = 0.005) in UC tissues than in normal tissues. The expression of alpha 1-antitrypsin and H2B1K in UC tissues was significantly correlated with UC grades (p < 0.05). Urinary exosome proteins alpha 1-antitrypsin and histone H2B1K, which are identified through MALDI-TOF analysis, could facilitate rapid diagnosis and prognosis of UC.
L5, the most electronegative and atherogenic subfraction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), induces platelet activation. We hypothesized that plasma L5 levels are increased in acute ischemic stroke ...patients and examined whether lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1), the receptor for L5 on endothelial cells and platelets, plays a critical role in stroke. Because amyloid β (Aβ) stimulates platelet aggregation, we studied whether L5 and Aβ function synergistically to induce prothrombotic pathways leading to stroke. Levels of plasma L5, serum Aβ, and platelet LOX-1 expression were significantly higher in acute ischemic stroke patients than in controls without metabolic syndrome (P < .01). In mice subjected to focal cerebral ischemia, L5 treatment resulted in larger infarction volumes than did phosphate-buffered saline treatment. Deficiency or neutralizing of LOX-1 reduced infarct volume up to threefold after focal cerebral ischemia in mice, illustrating the importance of LOX-1 in stroke injury. In human platelets, L5 but not L1 (the least electronegative LDL subfraction) induced Aβ release via IκB kinase 2 (IKK2). Furthermore, L5+Aβ synergistically induced glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor activation; phosphorylation of IKK2, IκBα, p65, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1; and platelet aggregation. These effects were blocked by inhibiting IKK2, LOX-1, or nuclear factor–κB (NF-κB). Injecting L5+Aβ shortened tail-bleeding time by 50% (n = 12; P < .05 vs L1-injected mice), which was prevented by the IKK2 inhibitor. Our findings suggest that, through LOX-1, atherogenic L5 potentiates Aβ-mediated platelet activation, platelet aggregation, and hemostasis via IKK2/NF-κB signaling. L5 elevation may be a risk factor for cerebral atherothrombosis, and downregulating LOX-1 and inhibiting IKK2 may be novel antithrombotic strategies.
•L5 is elevated in ischemic stroke patients, and its receptor, LOX-1, plays a critical role in increasing stroke size.•L5 induces platelet secretion of Aβ to potentiate platelet activation and aggregation via LOX-1 and IKK2.
The apolipoproteins (APOs) of human very low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL) were investigated by an optimized cyclodextrin‐micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CD‐MEKC) method. The separation buffer ...consisted of 20 mM sodium phosphate, 40 mM bile salts (50% sodium cholate and 50% sodium deoxycholate), 25 mM carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (CM‐β‐CD) (pH 7.0). For CD‐MEKC separation, a sample injection time of 12 s, a separation voltage of 15 KV, and a capillary temperature of 15°C were chosen. The optimal CD‐MEKC method showed good resolution and repeatability for VLDL APOs. Identification and quantitation of VLDL APOs CI, CIII, and E were based on comparison with human APO standards. Good linear relationships with correlation coefficient (R2) 0.99 were obtained for APOs CI, CIII, and E standards. For these three APOs, the linear ranges were within 0.01‐0.54 mg/mL, and the concentration limits of detection (LODs) were lower than 0.02 mg/mL. Moreover, VLDL APOs from four uremic patients and four healthy subjects were compared. The uremic and healthy CD‐MEKC profiles showed dramatic difference. The levels of APO CIII were significantly higher for two patients, and the level of APO E was significantly higher for one patient. This study might be helpful for following the disease development of uremia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the future.
Previous study on association between pro-inflammatory cytokines and mortality in PD population is limited. We aimed to investigate here.
Total 50 patients who underwent incident PD were enrolled in ...this study. We measured the titers of pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin-18(IL-18), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß). Study outcomes were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular-related mortality, and infection-caused mortality. Cox-regression model was used.
In this 7 year prospective study, IL-18 ≥ 804.3pg/ml, IL-6 ≥ 3.92 pg/ml, IL-1ß ≥ 0.86pg/ml, age ≥ 50 years-old, and existence of diabetes could be used as individual significant predictors for mortality in PD patients. Higher titers of IL-6 were associated with lower averaging albumin levels within 1
year of PD. Increasing numbers of these risk markers of mortality was associated with decreasing survival advantages (P = 0.001).
Age ≥ 50 years-old, diabetes, and inflammatory cytokines profiles at the start of PD therapy could predict for 7-year mortality in PD population.
Skin autofluorescence (AF) has been validated as a tool for estimating tissue advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulation and predicting long-term cardiovascular outcomes. However, whether ...measurements of skin AF could predict renal function decline remains controversial. From April, 2014 to April, 2015, we enrolled 245 subjects with at least two conventional risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). All were measured for body height and weight, blood pressure, plasma creatinine level, and skin AF at the start of the study. Baseline demographics and laboratory tests data were obtained by chart reviews and patient interviews. Serial plasma creatinine levels were followed regularly every 6-12 months for 2 years. In a stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis, skin AF, was an independent factor for predicting the relative renal function decline rate after adjustment of multiple covariates (ß = -0.036±0.016; p = 0.03). Subgroups analysis revealed that skin AF was a significant factor for relative renal function decline rate in subgroups of age < 65 years (ß = -0.068±0.024; p = 0.02), male sex (ß = -0.053±0.016; p< 0.01), body mass index≧25 Kg/m2(ß = -0.042±0.021; p = 0.04), and estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73m2(ß = -0.043±0.020; p = 0.04). However, only an interaction between skin AF and age attained significance (p for interaction = 0.04). Skin AF is a useful predictor for renal function decline in patients at increased risk of CAD.
(1) Background: surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a novel method for bacteria identification. However, reported applications of SERS in clinical diagnosis are limited. In this study, we ...used cylindrical SERS chips to detect urine pathogens in urinary tract infection (UTI) patients. (2) Methods: Urine samples were retrieved from 108 UTI patients. A 10 mL urine sample was sent to conventional bacterial culture as a reference. Another 10 mL urine sample was loaded on a SERS chip for bacteria identification and antibiotic susceptibility. We concentrated the urine specimen if the intensity of the Raman spectrum required enhancement. The resulting Raman spectrum was analyzed by a recognition software to compare with spectrum-form reference bacteria and was further confirmed by principal component analysis (PCA). (3) Results: There were 97 samples with single bacteria species identified by conventional urine culture and, among them, 93 can be successfully identified by using SERS without sample concentration. There were four samples that needed concentration for bacteria identification. Antibiotic susceptibility can also be found by SERS. There were seven mixed flora infections found by conventional culture, which can only be identified by the PCA method. (4) Conclusions: SERS can be used in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection with the aid of the recognition software and PCA.