Human plasma fibrinogen is synthesized in the liver

Clinical and Prognostic Significance of Preoperative Plasma Fibrinogen Levels in Patients with Operable Breast Cancer

Purpose

Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with tumor progression and poor outcomes in different cancer patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical and prognostic value of preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with operable breast cancer.

Methods

Two hundred and twenty-three patients diagnosed with breast cancer were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Plasma fibrinogen levels were examined before treatment and analyzed along with patient clinicopathological parameters, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival(OS). Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the clinicopathological parameters associated with DFS and OS.

Results

Elevated preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels were directly associated with age of diagnose (≤47 vs. >47, p<0.001), menopause (yes vs. no, p<0.001), tumor size (T1&T2 vs.T3&T4, p = 0.033), tumor stage (Ⅰvs.Ⅱvs.Ⅲ, p = 0.034) and lymph node involvement (N = 0 vs. 1≤N≤3 vs. N≥4, p<0.001), but not with histological grade, molecular type and other Immunohistochemical parameters(ER, PR, HER2 and Ki-67). In a univariate survival analysis, tumor stage, tumor size, lymph node involvement (p<0.001/ p<0.001)and plasma fibrinogen (p<0.001/ p<0.001) levels were associated with disease-free and overall survival, but just lymph nodes involvement (p<0.001, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6–5.3/ p = 0.006, HR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.4–7.3) and plasma fibrinogen levels (p = 0.006, HR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.4–8.3/ p = 0.002, HR = 10.1, 95% CI = 2.3–44.6) were associated with disease-free and overall survival in a multivariate survival analysis, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that elevated preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with breast cancer progression and are independently associated with a poor prognosis in patients with operable breast cancer.

Combined fibrinogen concentration and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic marker of gastric cancer

Certain patients with early gastric cancer succumb to recurrent disease and cancer-associated complications. The key cause of recurrence is challenging to determine, since clinical blood markers that are able to predict the tumor properties of gastric cancer are limited. The present study investigated the fibrinogen concentration and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in blood specimens from patients with gastric cancer, and assessed the clinical applicability of combining the fibrinogen concentration with the NLR (CFS-NLR) as a prognostic marker of gastric cancer. The present study consisted of 275 patients with gastric cancer, who were divided into three groups: Those possessing hyperfibrinogenemia (≥305 mg/dl) and a high NLR (≥2.34; CFS-NLR 2 group); those possessing either hyperfibrinogenemia or a high NLR (CFS-NLR 1 group); or those that possessed neither abnormality (CFS-NLR 0 group). The CFS-NLR was significantly associated with the depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion and tumor stage (P<0.0001). The prognostic differences among the three groups were significant (P=0.0016). Therefore, the CFS-NLR may be a potentially useful blood marker for predicting tumor progression and the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

Hemorrhagic Complications Following Abdominal Paracentesis in Acute on Chronic Liver Failure: A Propensity Score Analysis

ABSTARCT

Patients with acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) usually present with severe coagulopathy. Abdominal paracentesis is often performed in these patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of hemorrhagic events after paracentesis and the predictive factors of this condition in ACLF populations.ACLF patients who underwent paracentesis were retrospectively enrolled within a 5-year period. A propensity score (PS) matching analysis was used to select matched cases from the overall nonhemorrhagic group to be used as the control group. Hemorrhagic complications and risk factors were examined using logistic regression analysis.A total of 602 abdominal paracenteses were carried out on 218 ACLF patients and 18 (2.99%) hemorrhagic complications were identified. The MELD scores were higher in hemorrhagic patients than overall patients before PS matching (25.77±6.65 vs 21.04 ± 7.93, P = 0.013). We matched 18 cases with bleeding events to 72 unique cases without. The hemorrhagic group had significantly lower fibrinogen levels and higher PT levels than nonhemorrhagic cases. Logistic regression analysis revealed that lower fibrinogen levels could independently predict hemorrhagic complications (OR: 0.128, 95% CI: 0.023-0.697, P = 0.017). The best cut-off value for reliable measurement of fibrinogen levels was 0.70 g/L, with a sensitivity of 76.4% and a specificity of 80.0%. The area under curve was 0.733 (95% CI 0.604-0.862, P value 0.002).Severe hemorrhagic complications occur more commonly in ALCF patients than previously thought. A low fibrinogen level is an independent predictor of bleeding events in patients with MELD >25.

The preoperative plasma fibrinogen level is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of breast cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have suggested that plasma fibrinogen contributes to tumor cell proliferation, progression and metastasis. The current study was performed to evaluate the prognostic relevance of preoperative plasma fibrinogen in breast cancer patients.

METHOD

Data of 2073 consecutive breast cancer patients, who underwent surgery between January 2002 and December 2008 at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, were retrospectively evaluated. Plasma fibrinogen levels were routinely measured before surgeries. Participants were grouped by the cutoff value estimated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Overall survival (OS) was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was performed to evaluate the independent prognostic value of plasma fibrinogen level.

RESULTS

The optimal cutoff value of preoperative plasma fibrinogen was determined to be 2.83 g/L. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with high fibrinogen levels had shorter OS than patients with low fibrinogen levels (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis suggested preoperative plasma fibrinogen as an independent prognostic factor for OS in breast cancer patients (HR = 1.475, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.177-1.848, p = 0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed that plasma fibrinogen level was an unfavorable prognostic parameter in stage II-III, Luminal subtypes and triple-negative breast cancer patients.

CONCLUSION

Elevated preoperative plasma fibrinogen was independently associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients and may serve as a valuable parameter for risk assessment in breast cancer patients.

Hyperfibrinogenemia predicts poor prognosis in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer

Hyperfibrinogenemia reportedly predicts poor prognosis in several cancers but has not been reviewed for biliary tract cancer (BTC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate associations between baseline plasma fibrinogen concentrations, clinicopathological characteristics, and survival parameters in patients with BTC. Data for 127 patients with BTC diagnosed at the Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Dalian University (Liaoning, China) from January 2011 to December 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. Associations between baseline fibrinogen concentrations, selected clinicopathological characteristics, and the prognostic value were examined using SPSS software. Data for 37 patients (29.1 % of study cohort) who had undergone curative intent surgery and 90 (70.9 %) with advanced biliary tract cancer (ABTC) were analyzed. The mean plasma fibrinogen concentration 4.0 ± 0.9 g/L for the entire cohort. The percentages with hyperfibrinogenemia (>4 g/L) were 45.7, 37.8, and 48.9 % overall and in the surgical and ABTC groups, respectively. Hyperfibrinogenemia was associated with performance status (PS) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in the entire cohort but not with other relevant clinicopathological factors. Log-rank test indicated that baseline hyperfibrinogenemia was associated with decreased progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for patients with unresectable ABTC (P > 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that poor PS and baseline hyperfibrinogenemia were independently associated with worse survival (HR: 1.39, 95 % CI: 1.02-1.90, P = 0.04; HR: 1.75.95 %, 95 % CI: 1.01-3.01, P = 0.04, respectively). Baseline hyperfibrinogenemia is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with ABTC. Baseline plasma fibrinogen concentrations may be a readily available and inexpensive prognostic biomarker in patients with ABTC; this needs further validation in large prospective clinical trials.

An elevated preoperative plasma fibrinogen level is associated with poor disease-specific and overall survival in breast cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Plasma fibrinogen plays an important role in the pathophysiology of tumor cell invasion and metastases. High plasma fibrinogen levels have been associated with poor prognosis in different types of cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of the preoperative plasma fibrinogen level in a large cohort of breast cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from 520 consecutive breast cancer patients, treated between 1999 and 2004, were evaluated. Disease-specific survival (DSS), overall survival (OS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. To evaluate the independent prognostic significance of fibrinogen, multivariable Cox regression models were applied. The influence of fibrinogen on the predictive accuracy was further determined by the Harrell's c-index.

RESULTS

Univariable analysis revealed a significant association between an elevated plasma fibrinogen level and DSS (hazard ratio (HR) 1.70, 95% CI 1.07-2.76, p = 0.026) that remained significant in multivariable analysis (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.02-2.85; p = 0.042). An increased fibrinogen level was also significantly associated with decreased OS in univariable (HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.11-2.64, p = 0.015) and multivariable analysis (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.01-2.61; p = 0.048). In patients with ER/PR+, HER2- tumors, plasma fibrinogen was associated with DSS in univariable (HR 2.65, 95% CI 1.15-6.14, p = 0.023) and multivariable analysis (HR 3.63, 95% CI 1.37-9.64, p = 0.010). Furthermore, in those patients, the estimated c-index of the multivariable model for DSS was 0.755 without fibrinogen and 0.785 when fibrinogen was added.

CONCLUSIONS

An elevated preoperative plasma fibrinogen level may represent an independent prognostic marker for survival in breast cancer patients.

Hyperfibrinogen Is Associated With the Systemic Inflammatory Response and Predicts Poor Prognosis in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic prediction value of plasma fibrinogen level for overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

A total of 321 patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma were retrospectively recruited. The association between plasma fibrinogen level and OS was analyzed. We also evaluated the relationship between plasma fibrinogen level and the systemic inflammatory response markers: the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelets/lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio.

RESULTS

High plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly correlated with shorter OS in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (175 days for patients with high fibrinogen levels vs 357 days for patients with low fibrinogen levels; log rank, 22.949; P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses confirmed that plasma fibrinogen level was an independent prognostic predictor for OS (hazard ratio, 2.184; 95% confidence interval, 1.574-3.032; P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analyses showed that including plasma fibrinogen level alongside traditional factors (tumor stage and CA 19-9) significantly improved prognostic prediction capability (traditional model area under the curve of 0.62 versus combined model area under the curve of 0.708; P = 0.016). In addition, plasma fibrinogen level was positively correlated with neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelets/lymphocyte ratio and negatively correlated with lymphocyte/monocyte ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperfibrinogen is associated with the systemic inflammatory response and predicts poor prognosis for advanced pancreatic cancer.

Homozygosity for the E526V Mutation in Fibrinogen A Alpha-Chain Amyloidosis: The First Report

Systemic hereditary amyloidoses are autosomal dominant diseases associated with mutations in genes encoding ten different proteins. The clinical phenotype has implications on therapeutic approach, but it is commonly variable and largely dependent on the type of mutation. Except for rare cases involving gelsolin or transthyretin, patients are heterozygous for the amyloidogenic variants. Here we describe the first patient identified worldwide as homozygous for a nephropathic amyloidosis, involving the fibrinogen variant associated with the fibrinogen alpha-chain E526V (p.Glu545Val) mutation. In 1989, a 44-year-old woman presented with hypertension, hepatosplenomegaly, nephrotic syndrome, and renal failure. She started hemodialysis in 1990 and 6 years later underwent isolated kidney transplantation from a deceased donor. Graft function and clinical status were unremarkable for 16 years, despite progressively increased left ventricular mass on echocardiography. In 2012, 4 months before death, she deteriorated rapidly with severe heart failure, precipitated by Clostridium difficile colitis and urosepsis. Affected family members developed nephropathy, on average, nearly three decades later, which may be explained by the gene dosage effects on the phenotype of E526V (p.Glu545Val) fibrinogen A alpha-chain amyloidosis.

Differences in the whole saliva baseline proteome profile associated with development of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

Oral mucositis (OM) is a common, painful and often treatment-limiting side effect of radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Unstimulated saliva was collected before the first radiotherapy application in 50 HNC patients. 41 out of 50 patients developed OM (grade III) during radiotherapy, of which 14 patients even displayed an early OM (grade III) at a low radiation dose of 30Gy. Nine patients did not develop OM (grade III). Using an LC-MS/MS approach 5323 tryptic peptides were assigned to 487 distinct proteins (≥2 peptides) in the data set. The levels of 48 proteins differed significantly (p<0.05) between patients developing OM or not. 17 proteins displayed increased levels (≥1.3-fold) and 31 proteins decreased in level in OM, respectively. Furthermore, using partial least square analysis protein patterns could be used to distinguish subjects which did not develop grade III OM even after 70Gy total dose (n=9) and those displaying early OM (grade III at <30Gy total dose, n=14). Using leave one out cross validation 37 of 41 patients (90%) developing OM could be correctly assigned indicating that prognostic proteome signatures may help identify patients that should be specifically monitored to increase overall effectiveness of RT treatment.

Variation of fibrinogen oligosaccharide structure in the acute phase response: Possible haemorrhagic implications

Background

Fibrinogen is an acute phase glycoprotein whose concentration increases in response to trauma. The newly synthesised protein is functionally enhanced and it is known that treatment with neuraminidase increases the rate of fibrin polymerisation. To explore this, we examined the differences between the oligosaccharide structures of quiescent and acute phase fibrinogen.

Methods

A series of plasma samples was obtained from two individuals suffering an acute phase response. Fibrinogen chains were examined directly by ESI mass spectrometry before and after digestion with N-glycosidase F and β1,4 galactosidase.

Results

The Bβ and γ chains of acute phase fibrinogen showed a mass decrease of 162 Da (Gal) in some 50% of the molecules, and the Bβ chain showed an additional decrease corresponding to a further loss of NAcGlc. Incubation with N-glycosidase F normalised all isoform masses to that of the quiescent naked protein, confirming the N-linked oligosaccharide as the source of heterogeneity. β1,4 galactosidase treatment showed the structural difference was the absence of the penultimate Gal from the biantennary oligosaccharides, and mapping of tryptic glycopeptides confirmed these results showing that approximately half the chains lacked Gal.

Conclusions and implications

The failure of incorporation Gal excludes the possibility of the hepatic NAcNeu Gal transferase capping the oligosaccharides with sialic acid. This has two desirable haemostatic outcomes: fibrin monomers will polymerise and form clots more rapidly, and two galactose residues can never be exposed diminishing uptake of the protein by the asialoglycoprotein receptor and ramping up concentration at a time of challenge.

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The acute phase increases fibrinogen levels and alters its haemostatic properties.

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We show this fibrinogen has altered oligosaccharide chains lacking Gal-NAcNeu.

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This would increase the rate of polymerisation and decrease uptake by its receptor.

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This promotes haemostasis by increasing concentrations and polymerisation rates.

Plasma fibrinogen and blood platelet counts are associated with response to neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer

Aim: To investigate coagulatory factors in predicting response to neoadjuvant therapy (NeoTr) in esophageal cancer (EC). Methods: We investigated the relevance of coagulatory factors in 84 EC patients (56 adenocarcinomas, 28 squamous cell cancer) who received NeoTr. Plasma fibrinogen (PFR), peripheral blood platelet counts (PBPC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined before NeoTr. Response was classified as tumor regression grades. Results: Patients with good response to NeoTr had significantly higher PFR (p = 0.006), CRP (p = 0.002) and PBPC levels (p = 0.034) when compared with others. Only, PFR remained an independent factor influencing tumor regression (p = 0.0064, coefficient of regression: -0.003). No association with survival was observed. Conclusion: PFR and to a lesser extent PBPC and CRP might be considered as a predictive marker for the response to NeoTr in EC.

Total knee arthroplasty in a patient with hypofibrinogenemia

Patients with afibrinogenemia or hypofibrinogenemia present a unique challenge to the arthroplasty surgeon as fibrinogen is a key contributor to hemostasis. Patients with these disorders are known to have a higher risk for postsurgical bleeding complications. We present the case of a patient with hypofibrinogenemia who underwent an elective total knee arthroplasty. Our colleagues in hematology-oncology guided us initially to achieve and maintain appropriate fibrinogen levels in the early perioperative period. However, the patient developed an acute joint effusion and subsequent infection 4 weeks after her initial operation. Her fibrinogen levels were noted to have fallen below the target range by that time, and it was also revealed that the patient failed to follow-up with hematology-oncology to monitor her levels. Based on our review of the available literature, we recommend that patient's fibrinogen levels be closely monitored and maintained ideally >100 mg/dL not only in the initial perioperative window but perhaps for the first 4-6 weeks postoperatively as well.

Hyperfibrinogenemia in appendicitis: a new predictor of perforation in children

PURPOSE

Acute appendicitis is the most common emergency abdominal inflammation requiring operation in children. As an acute-phase protein, plasma fibrinogen always increases with inflammation or tissue necrosis. This had brought about the assumption that hyperfibrinogenemia in patients with appendicitis may have a predictive ability for the preoperative diagnosis of appendiceal. Aim of this retrospective study was to assess the diagnostic value of hyperfibrinogenemia as a preoperative laboratory marker for appendiceal perforation in children with acute appendicitis.

METHODS

We screened 466 children (168 girls, 298 boys, mean age, 7.6 years) with histologically confirmed acute appendicitis who received laparoscopic or open appendectomy between January 2012 and April 2014 in a pediatric surgery department of an academic teaching hospital. A retrospective review of the medical records including appendiceal perforation rate and laboratory results was conducted.

RESULTS

Mean plasma fibrinogen level of all patients was 4.89 g/L (SD 1.74 g/L, range 1.94-15 g/L, median 4.61 mg/dL). Children with appendiceal perforation had a mean fibrinogen level of 6.18 g/L (SD 1.83 g/L, range 3.02-15 g/L, median 5.79 g/L), which was significantly higher than those with non-perforated children (P = 0.0001). The specificity of hyperfibrinogenemia for appendiceal perforation was 0.82 in comparison with 0.25 for white blood count (WBC) and 0.34 for C-reactive protein (CRP). Sensitivity was 0.74 compared with 0.76 for WBC and 0.94 for CRP.

CONCLUSION

Children with hyperfibrinogenemia and clinical symptoms of appendicitis may be regarded as a higher risk of appendiceal perforation than whose fibrinogen level is normal.

Lack of a 5.9 kDa peptide C-terminal fragment of fibrinogen α chain precedes fibrosis progression in patients with liver disease

Early detection of fibrosis progression is of major relevance for the diagnosis and management of patients with liver disease. This study was designed to find non-invasive biomarkers for fibrosis in a clinical context where this process occurs rapidly, HCV-positive patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT). We analyzed 93 LT patients with HCV recurrence, 41 non-LT patients with liver disease showing a fibrosis stage F≥1 and 9 patients without HCV recurrence who received antiviral treatment before LT, as control group. Blood obtained from 16 healthy subjects was also analyzed. Serum samples were fractionated by ion exchange chromatography and their proteomic profile was analyzed by SELDI-TOF-MS. Characterization of the peptide of interest was performed by ion chromatography and electrophoresis, followed by tandem mass spectrometry identification. Marked differences were observed between the serum proteome profile of LT patients with early fibrosis recurrence and non-recurrent LT patients. A robust peak intensity located at 5905 m/z was the distinguishing feature of non-recurrent LT patients. However, the same peak was barely detected in recurrent LT patients. Similar results were found when comparing samples of healthy subjects with those of non-LT fibrotic patients, indicating that our findings were not related to either LT or HCV infection. Using tandem mass-spectrometry, we identified the protein peak as a C-terminal fragment of the fibrinogen α chain. Cell culture experiments demonstrated that TGF-β reduces α-fibrinogen mRNA expression and 5905 m/z peak intensity in HepG2 cells, suggesting that TGF-β activity regulates the circulating levels of this protein fragment. In conclusion, we identified a 5.9 kDa C-terminal fragment of the fibrinogen α chain as an early serum biomarker of fibrogenic processes in patients with liver disease.

Clinical and prognostic significance of preoperative plasma hyperfibrinogenemia in gallbladder cancer patients following surgical resection: a retrospective and in vitro study

Background

Coagulation and fibrinolysis activation is frequently observed in cancer patients, and the tumors in these cases are thought to be associated with a higher risk of invasion, metastasis, and worse long-term outcome. The objective of this study was to elucidate the prognostic significance of blood coagulation tests and various clinicopathological characteristics in patients with gallbladder cancer (GBC) after surgical resection.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 115 patients with histologically confirmed GBC who underwent surgical resection in our department. The prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), thrombin time (TT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen levels, and platelet counts were measured pretreatment at the time of diagnosis. The predictive value of fibrinogen levels for tumor staging was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Correlations between the preoperative hyperfibrinogenemia and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed, and univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with overall survival (OS). Cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro were examined to investigate the function of fibrinogen in GBC cell migration.

Results

The plasma levels for all coagulation tests, with the exception of INR, were significantly different between the GBC patients and control patients (p < 0.001). Hyperfibrinogenemia (>402 mg/dL) was associated with poorly differentiated tumors, advanced tumor invasion, lymphatic metastasis, and advanced tumor stage (p < 0.001), and had a statistically significant adverse effect on survival (p = 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, hyperfibrinogenemia (p = 0.031) was independently associated with worse OS, tumor stage (p = 0.016), margin status (p < 0.001), and lymphatic metastasis (p = 0.035). Moreover, cell migration and invasion in vitro were significantly enhanced by fibrinogen.

Conclusions

Preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels was associated with tumor progression and may be an independent marker of poor prognosis in GBC patients. Furthermore, fibrinogen may contribute to cell migration by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Fibrin, a scaffold material for islet transplantation and pancreatic endocrine tissue engineering

Fibrin is derived from fibrinogen during injury to produce a blood clot and thus promote wound repair. Composed of different domains, including Arg-Gly-Asp amino acid motifs, fibrin is used extensively as a hydrogel and sealant in the clinic. By binding to cell surface receptors like integrins and acting as a supportive 3D scaffold, fibrin has been useful in promoting cell differentiation, proliferation, function, and survival. In particular, fibrin has been able to maintain islet cell architecture, promote beta cell insulin secretion, and islet angiogenesis, as well as inducing a protective effect against cell death. During islet transplantation, fibrin improved neovascularization and islet function. These improvements resulted in reduced number of transplanted islets necessary to reverse diabetes. Therefore, fibrin, as a biocompatible and biodegradable scaffold, should be considered during subcutaneous islet transplantation and beta cell expansion in vitro to ensure maintenance of islet cell function, proliferation, and survival to develop effective cell-based therapies for the treatment of diabetes.

Cumulative prognostic scores based on plasma fibrinogen and serum albumin levels in esophageal cancer patients treated with transthoracic esophagectomy: comparison with the Glasgow prognostic score

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to establish a prognostic indicator based on preoperative plasma fibrinogen and serum albumin levels (FA score) in esophageal cancer patients and to compare the correlation with survival to that of the Glasgow prognostic score.

METHODS

Patient characteristics, clinicopathological factors, and preoperative biochemical markers (fibrinogen, albumin, and C-reactive protein) were investigated in esophageal cancer patients who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy. Pretreatment fibrinogen and albumin levels were reviewed in patients who received neoadjuvant treatment. Patients with elevated fibrinogen and decreased albumin levels were allocated a score of 2, those with only one of these abnormalities were allocated a score of 1, and those with neither of these abnormalities were allocated a score of 0. The fibrinogen cut-off value was defined as 350 mg/dL according to our previous report, and the albumin cut-off value was defined as the lower quartile.

RESULTS

Among 199 consecutive patients, the interquartile range of preoperative albumin was 3.8-4.3 g/dL and the cut-off value was 3.8 g/dL. Thus, 108 (54 %), 68 (34 %), and 23 (12 %) patients had an FA score of 0, 1, and 2. The patients with a high preoperative FA score showed considerably shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis showed that pretreatment stage and preoperative FA score were independently associated with postoperative DFS and OS.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative FA score was significantly associated with postoperative survival in esophageal cancer patients, and the prognostic value is currently being validated in a prospective multicenter cohort study.

Novel mutations (γTrp208Leu and γLys232Thr) leading to congenital hypofibrinogenemia in two unrelated Chinese families

Congenital hypofibrinogenemia is a rare disorder caused by heterozygous mutations in the fibrinogen genes. The aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular defects in two unrelated families with hypofibrinogenemia. The proband from family A was a 19-year-old Chinese boy who was suffering from cervical lymphadenitis. A low plasma fibrinogen concentration (0.63 g/l by Clauss method and 0.77 g/l by immunoturbidimetry) was found in routine clotting tests. Further gene analysis revealed a heterozygous g.5792 G>T mutation in exon 7 of the FGG, leading to a novel Trp208Leu change in the γ D domain. This mutation was also found in other family members with low fibrinogen levels. The proposita from family B was a 37-year-old female who suffered from recurrent shoulder pain for 7 years. Routine clotting studies revealed that her prothrombin time was 15.5 s (normal range: 11.8-14.8 s) and thrombin time was 22.8 s (normal range: 14.0-20.0 s), and the fibrinogen concentration in her plasma was only 0.64 g/l by Clauss method and 0.79 g/l by immunoturbidimetry. A heterozygous A>C transition at nucleotide 5864 of FGG was found in the γ chain, causing a Lys232Thr substitution in the fibrinogen. Further sequencing established that her mother, son, brother and nephew were also heterozygous for the mutation.

Benign FGB (148Lys→Asn, and 448Arg→Lys), and novel causative γ211Tyr→His mutation distinguished by time of flight mass spectrometry in a family with hypofibrinogenaemia

We describe a novel procedure for the direct analysis of plasma fibrinogen by HPLC time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometry and apply it to the investigation of a family with hypofibrinogenaemia. Electrospray TOF analysis provided much higher resolution than was possible with our previous quadrupole analyser and revealed three different mass changes within the fibrinogen Bβ and γ chains of the family. It also demonstrated the actual hypofibrinogenaemia phenotype was caused by an aberrantγ chain (-23 Da) which was expressed at a diminished ratio of 0.2:1 relative to γ(A) and co-inherited with a second coequally expressed Bβ variant (Bβ(M) /Bβ(A), 1:1). Co-segregation was confirmed by gene analysis that showed the affected father and son had a very rare Bβ148Lys→Arg mutation (-14 Da) inherited together with a unique new γ211Tyr→His mutation (-26 Da). This latter causative substitution occurs at a site that is absolutely conserved across all fibrinogen chains and preserved across all species. TOF analysis also identified a variant Bβ chain (54,186 Da) that was coequally expressed with normal Bβ chains (54,213 Da) in the unaffected mother.

Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with a poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with tumor progression and poor outcomes in cancer patients. We investigated the prognostic value of pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

One hundred and thirteen patients with newly diagnosed HCC were retrospectively evaluated. We investigated the correlation between pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels, clinicopathological parameters and overall survival. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the clinicopathological parameters associated with overall survival.

RESULTS

The median value of the pretreatment plasma fibrinogen level was 279 mg/dl. Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels were associated with larger tumor size, the presence of vascular invasion and higher Cancer Liver Italian Program scores. Lower plasma fibrinogen levels were associated with higher Child-Pugh grades. The overall survival rates in patients with pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels ≥ 315 mg/dl were significantly lower than those with a pretreatment plasma fibrinogen level <315 mg/dl (p = 0.016). On multivariate analysis, the plasma fibrinogen levels (per 100 mg/dl) were found to be independently associated with overall survival (hazard ratio 1.236; p = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that elevated pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with tumor progression and are independently associated with a poor prognosis in patients with HCC.

Role of fibrinogen in cerebrovascular dysfunction after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with various neurological disorders. However, the role of cerebrovascular dysfunction and its mechanisms associated with TBI are still not well understood. Inflammation is the main cause of vascular dysfunction. It affects properties of blood components and the vascular wall leading to changes in blood flow and in interaction of blood components and vascular endothelium exacerbating microcirculatory complications during inflammatory diseases. One of the markers of inflammation is a plasma adhesion protein, fibrinogen (Fg). At elevated levels, Fg can also cause inflammatory responses. One of the manifestations of inflammatory responses is an increase in microvascular permeability leading to accumulation of plasma proteins in the subendothelial matrix and causing vascular remodelling. This has a most devastating effect on cerebral circulation after TBI that is accompanied with an elevation of plasma level of Fg and with an increased cerebrovascular permeability in injury penumbra impairing the normal healing process. This study reviews cerebrovascular alterations after TBI, considers the consequences of increased blood-brain barrier permeability, defines the role of elevated level of Fg and discusses the potential mechanisms of its action leading to vascular dysfunction, which subsequently can cause impairment in neuronal function. Thus, possible mechanisms of vasculo-neuronal dysfunction after TBI are considered.

Clinical significance of plasma fibrinogen level as a predictive marker for postoperative recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment

Among multidisciplinary therapies developed for advanced esophageal cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy have been established as standard treatments. To deliver cautious follow up and intense treatment for high-risk patients, a simple and instructive biomarker for the postoperative recurrence needs to be identified. Fibrinogen, a common component of hemostasis, has been suggested to not only play an important role in cancer metastasis, but also correlate with tumor recurrence. We aim to clarify the validity of plasma fibrinogen as a marker for predicting the postoperative recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients who received neoadjuvant treatment. We reviewed 72 consecutive patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, followed by esophagectomy at the Keio University Hospital from 2001 to 2010. Of them, we retrospectively examined 68 patients who underwent plasma fibrinogen examination before and after neoadjuvant treatment and underwent transthoracic radical esophagectomy. We investigated patient characteristics, clinicopathological factors, neoadjuvant treatment effects, postoperative course, and plasma fibrinogen levels. We investigated pretreatment and preoperative (postneoadjuvant treatment) plasma fibrinogen levels, as well as changes in fibrinogen levels before and after neoadjuvant treatment. Patients with preoperative hyperfibrinogenemia (>350 mg/dL) and patients with increased plasma fibrinogen levels during neoadjuvant treatment showed significantly shorter postoperative disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.002 and P = 0.037, respectively). Moreover, we classified these patients into three classes on the basis of their preoperative fibrinogen levels and changes in fibrinogen levels during neoadjuvant treatment. Patients who had both high preoperative plasma fibrinogen and increased fibrinogen levels showed significantly shorter DFS than others. In contrast, patients who had normal preoperative plasma fibrinogen and decreased fibrinogen levels showed significantly longer DFS. Based on this fibrinogen classification, we could differentiate between significantly favorable and poor prognosis patients group. Overall, this classification (hazard ratio = 1.812, P = 0.013) and the response to neoadjuvant treatment (hazard ratio = 0.350, P = 0.007) were found to be significant determining factors for postoperative DFS. With the validity of preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels and changes in fibrinogen levels during neoadjuvant treatment, the plasma fibrinogen level was found to be a possible biomarker for postoperative recurrence in advanced esophageal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant treatment. Moreover, plasma fibrinogen classification could be a simple and valuable predictive marker for postoperative follow up.

Renal transplantation in systemic amyloidosis-importance of amyloid fibril type and precursor protein abundance

Renal transplantation remains contentious in patients with systemic amyloidosis due to the risk of graft loss from recurrent amyloid and progressive disease. Outcomes were sought among all patients attending the UK National Amyloidosis Centre who received a renal transplant (RTx) between January 1978 and May 2011. A total of 111 RTx were performed in 104 patients. Eighty-nine percent of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to hereditary lysozyme and apolipoprotein A-I amyloidosis received a RTx. Outcomes following RTx were generally excellent in these diseases, reflecting their slow natural history; median graft survival was 13.1 years. Only 20% of patients with ESRD due to AA, AL and fibrinogen amyloidosis received a RTx. Median graft survival was 10.3, 5.8 and 7.3 years in these diseases respectively, and outcomes were influenced by fibril precursor protein supply. Patient survival in AL amyloidosis was 8.9 years among those who had achieved at least a partial clonal response compared to 5.2 years among those who had no response (p = 0.02). Post-RTx chemotherapy was administered successfully to four AL patients. RTx outcome is influenced by amyloid type. Suppression of the fibril precursor protein is desirable in the amyloidoses that have a rapid natural history.

An engineered fibrinogen variant AαQ328,366P does not polymerise normally, but retains the ability to form α cross-links

A fibrin clot is stabilised through the formation of factor XIIIa-catalysed intermolecular ε-lysyl-γ-glutamyl covalent cross-links between α chains to form α polymers and between γ chains to form γ dimers. In a previous study we characterised fibrinogen Seoul II, a heterozygous dysfibrinogen in which a cross-linking acceptor site in Aα chain, Gln328, was replaced with Pro (AαQ328P). Following on the previous study, we investigated whether the alteration of Gln residues Aα328 and Aα366 affects fibrin polymerisation and α chain cross-linking. We have expressed three recombinant fibrinogens: AαQ328P, AαQ366P, and AαQ328,366P in Chinese hamster ovary cells, purified these fibrinogens from the culture media and performed biochemical tests to see how the introduced changes affect fibrin polymerisation and α chain cross-linking. Thrombin-catalysed fibrin polymerisation of all variants was impaired with the double mutation being the most impaired. In contrast, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis showed α polymer formation with all three engineered proteins. This study demonstrates that AαQ328 and AαQ366 are important for normal fibrin clot formation and in the absence of residues AαQ328 and AαQ366, other Gln residues in the α chain can support FXIIIa-catalysed fibrin cross-linking.

Interleukin-1 promotes coagulation, which is necessary for protective immunity in the lung against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection

Interleukin (IL)-1 is a well-known cytokine for the initiation of innate immunity in bacterial infection. However, the underlying mechanism of IL-1 on the respiratory infection is not fully elucidated. We studied how IL-1 contributes to the host defense against Streptococcus pneumoniae. IL-1R(-/-) mice showed high mortality, local cytokine storm, and substantial infiltrates in the lower respiratory tract after intratracheal challenge with S. pneumoniae. The IL-1-deficient condition did not suppress the propagation of bacteria in the lung, although the recruitment and the bacteria-killing ability of neutrophils (CD11b(+)Ly6C(+)Ly6G(+)) were not defective compared with wild-type mice. Unexpectedly, we found that the transcription of fibrinogen alpha and gamma genes were highly activated in the lungs of wild-type mice after the infection, whereas no significant changes were found in IL-1R(-/-) mice. Of note, synthesis of fibrinogen was dependent on the IL-1-IL-6-Stat3 cascade. Treatment with recombinant fibrinogen improved survival and bacterial propagation in the IL-1R(-/-) mice and blockade of the coagulation increased the susceptibility of wild-type mice to pneumococcal pneumonia. Our findings suggest that IL-1 signaling leads to the synthesis of fibrinogen in the lung after pneumococcus infection and is followed by coagulation, which contributes to the control of bacterial infection in the pulmonary tract.

Cohesive behavior of soft biological adhesives: experiments and modeling

Extracellular proteins play a key role in generating and maintaining cohesion and adhesion in biological tissues. These "natural glues" are involved in vital biological processes such as blood clotting, wound healing and maintaining the structural integrity of tissues. Macromolecular assemblies of proteins can be functionally stabilized in a variety of ways in situ that include ionic interactions as well as covalent crosslinking to form protein networks that can extend both within and between tissues. Within tissues, myriad cohesive forces are required to preserve tissue integrity and function, as are additional appropriate adhesive forces at interfaces both within and between tissues of differing composition. While the mechanics of some key structural adhesive proteins have been characterized in tensile experiments at both the macroscopic and single protein levels, the fracture toughness of thin proteinaceous interfaces has never been directly measured. Here, we describe a novel and simple approach to measure the cohesive behavior and toughness of thin layers of proteinaceous adhesives. The test is based on the standard double-cantilever beam test used for engineering adhesives, which was adapted to take into account the high compliance of the interface compared with the beams. This new "rigid double-cantilever beam" method enables stable crack propagation through an interfacial protein layer, and provides a direct way to measure its full traction-separation curve. The method does not require any assumption of the shape of the cohesive law, and the results provide abundant information contributing to understanding the structural, chemical and molecular mechanisms acting in biological adhesion. As an example, results are presented using this method for thin films of fibrin-a protein involved in blood clotting and used clinically as a tissue bio-adhesive after surgery-with the effects of calcium and crosslinking by Factor XIII being examined. Finally, a simple model is proposed, demonstrating how a bell-shaped cohesive law forms during the failure of the fibrin interface based on an eight-chain model whose structure degrades and changes configuration with stress.

Tumor response and survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: the predictive value of chemotherapy-induced changes in fibrinogen

BACKGROUND

Hyperfibrinogenemia is a common problem associated with various carcinomas, and is accompanied by hypercoagulablity. In advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) it remains unclear whether or not chemotherapy-induced changes in fibrinogen level relate to chemotherapeutic response and prognosis. The purposes of this study were to: 1) analyze the association between chemotherapy-induced changes in plasma fibrinogen level and the chemotherapeutic response after the first two courses of standard first-line platinum-based chemotherapy; and 2) evaluate the prognostic significance of the basal plasma fibrinogen level in patients with advanced NSCLC.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, the data from 160 patients with advanced NSCLC were collected. The association between the changes in fibrinogen and the response to chemotherapy, or between the pre-and post-chemotherapy fibrinogen levels and patient clinical characteristics, were analyzed using SPSS software. In addition, the prognostic value of pre-chemotherapy fibrinogen levels was assessed.

RESULTS

The median pre-chemotherapy plasma fibrinogen level was 4.4 g/L. Pre-chemotherapy plasma fibrinogen levels correlated significantly with gender (p = 0.041). Post-chemotherapy plasma fibrinogen levels correlated with gender (p = 0.023), age (p = 0.018), ECOG (p = 0.002) and tumor response (p = 0.049). Plasma fibrinogen levels markedly decreased after chemotherapy in 98 (61.25 %) patients with pre-chemotherapy hyperfibrinogenemia (p = 0.008); and in this population there was a significant link between the decrease in fibrinogen level, and initial partial response (PR; p = 0.017) and stable disease (SD; p = 0.031). Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that higher levels of fibrinogen (≥4.4 g/L) and ECOG 1 were positively associated with shorter overall survival (OS). CEA and CA125 also decreased significantly (p =0.015, p =0.000) in DCR group after chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that the reduction in plasma fibrinogen levels induced by chemotherapy might be as a promising biomarker as CEA and CA125 for evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC. In addition, basal plasma fibrinogen levels could be used as an independent prognostic parameter for the OS of patients with advanced NSCLC.

Amyloid diseases of the heart: current and future therapies

Amyloid diseases in man are caused by as many as 23 different pre-cursor proteins already described. Cardiologists predominantly encounter three main types of amyloidosis that affect the heart: light chain (AL) amyloidosis, senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA) and hereditary amyloidosis, most commonly caused by a mutant form of transthyretin. In the third world, secondary amyloid (AA) is more prevalent, due to chronic infections and inadequately treated inflammatory conditions. Much less common, are the non-transthyretin variants, including mutations of fibrinogen, the apolipoproteins apoA1 and apoA2 and gelsolin. These rarer types do not usually cause significant cardiac compromise. Occurring worldwide, later in life and of less clinical significance, isolated atrial amyloid (IAA) also involves the heart. Heart involvement by amyloid often has devastating consequences. Clinical outcome depends on amyloid type, the extent of systemic involvement and the treatment options available. An exact determination of amyloid type is critical to appropriate therapy. In this review we describe the different approaches required to treat this spectrum of amyloid cardiomyopathies.

Fibrinogen residue γAla341 is necessary for calcium binding and 'A-a' interactions

The fibrinogen γ-module has several important sites relating to fibrinogen function, which include the high affinity calcium binding site, hole 'a' that binds with knob 'A', and the D:D interface. Residue γAla341, which is located in the vicinity of these sites, is altered in three variant fibrinogens: fibrinogen Seoul (γAla341Asp), Tolaga Bay (γAla341Val), and Lyon III (γAla341Thr). In order to investigate the impaired polymerisation of fibrinogens γAla341Asp and γAla341Val to understand the role of γAla341 in fibrin polymerisation and fibrinogen synthesis, we have expressed γAla341Asp and γAla341Val in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, purified these fibrinogens from the culture media and performed biochemical tests to elucidate their function. Expression in CHO cells was similar for these variants. For both variants the kinetics of thrombin-catalysed FpA release was not different from normal fibrinogen, while FpB release was slower than that of normal. Thrombin-catalysed polymerisation of both variants was dependent on the calcium concentration. At physiologic calcium (1 mM) the variants showed impaired polymerisation with a longer lag period and a slower Vmax than normal fibrinogen. Scanning electron micrographs showed the clots were less organised than normal, having thicker and more twisted fibers, and larger pores. Analysis by SDS-PAGE showed that factor XIIIa-catalysed γ and α chain cross-linking was delayed, and plasmin-catalysed lysis was not reduced by the presence of 5 mM calcium or 5 mM GPRP (Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro). Our data indicate that fibrinogen residue γAla341 is important for the proper conformation of the γ-module, maintaining calcium-binding site and 'A-a' interactions.

Living well with medical comorbidities: a biopsychosocial perspective

OBJECTIVES

We take a biopsychosocial perspective on age-related diseases by examining psychological correlates of having multiple chronic conditions and determining whether positive psychological functioning predicts advantageous profiles of biological risk factors.

METHOD

Respondents to the national survey of Midlife in the United States who participated in clinical assessments of health and biological processes (n = 998) provided information on chronic medical conditions and multiple domains of psychological functioning. Serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined from fasting blood samples.

RESULTS

Life satisfaction declined with increasing comorbidity while negative affect increased. In contrast, positive affect, purpose in life, and positive relations with others were unrelated to comorbidity status. Significant interactions showed that although IL-6 and CRP increased with increasing number of chronic conditions, respondents with higher levels of purpose in life, positive relations with others, and (in the case of CRP) positive affect had lower levels of inflammation compared with those with lower well-being scores.

DISCUSSION

The results suggest that many older adults with medical comorbidities maintain high levels of positive psychological functioning that are in turn linked to better profiles of biological disease risk.

Amorphous nanosilicas induce consumptive coagulopathy after systemic exposure

We previously reported that well-dispersed amorphous nanosilicas with particle size 70 nm (nSP70) penetrate skin and produce systemic exposure after topical application. These findings underscore the need to examine biological effects after systemic exposure to nanosilicas. The present study was designed to examine the biological effects. BALB/c mice were intravenously injected with amorphous nanosilicas of sizes 70, 100, 300, 1000 nm and then assessed for survival, blood biochemistry, and coagulation. As a result, injection of nSP70 caused fatal toxicity, liver damage, and platelet depletion, suggesting that nSP70 caused consumptive coagulopathy. Additionally, nSP70 exerts procoagulant activity in vitro associated with an increase in specific surface area, which increases as diameter reduces. In contrast, nSP70-mediated procoagulant activity was absent in factor XII-deficient plasma. Collectively, we revealed that interaction between nSP70 and intrinsic coagulation factors such as factor XII, were deeply related to nSP70-induced harmful effects. In other words, it is suggested that if interaction between nSP70 and coagulation factors can be suppressed, nSP70-induced harmful effects may be avoided. These results would provide useful information for ensuring the safety of nanomaterials (NMs) and open new frontiers in biological fields by the use of NMs.

Hemorrhagic fever caused by a novel Bunyavirus in China: pathogenesis and correlates of fatal outcome

BACKGROUND

 Hemorrhagic fever-like illness caused by a novel Bunyavirus, Huaiyangshan virus (HYSV, also known as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia virus [SFTSV] and Fever, Thrombocytopenia and Leukopenia Syndrome [FTLS]), has recently been described in China.

METHODS

 Patients with laboratory-confirmed HYSV infection who were admitted to Union Hospital or Zhongnan Hospital between April 2010 and October 2010 were included in this study. Clinical and routine laboratory data were collected and blood, throat swab, urine, or feces were obtained when possible. Viral RNA was quantified by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Blood levels of a range of cytokines, chemokines, and acute phase proteins were assayed.

RESULTS

 A total of 49 patients with hemorrhagic fever caused by HYSV were included; 8 (16.3%) patients died. A fatal outcome was associated with high viral RNA load in blood at admission, as well as higher serum liver transaminase levels, more pronounced coagulation disturbances (activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time), and higher levels of acute phase proteins (phospholipase A, fibrinogen, hepcidin), cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, interferon-γ), and chemokines (IL-8, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, macrophage inflammatory protein 1b). The levels of these host parameters correlated with viral RNA levels. Blood viral RNA levels gradually declined over 3-4 weeks after illness onset, accompanied by resolution of symptoms and laboratory abnormalities. Viral RNA was also detectable in throat, urine, and fecal specimens of a substantial proportion of patients, including all fatal cases assayed. CONCLUSIONS. Viral replication and host immune responses play an important role in determining the severity and clinical outcome in patients with infection by HYSV.

Proteomic analysis of urinary biomarker candidates for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer

Nonmuscle invasive tumors of the bladder often recur and thereby bladder cancer patients need regular re-examinations which are invasive, unpleasant, and expensive. A noninvasive and less expensive method, e.g. a urine dipstick test, for monitoring recurrence would thus be advantageous. In this study, the complementary techniques mass spectrometry (MS) and Western blotting (WB)/dot blot (DB) were used to screen the urine samples from bladder cancer patients. High resolving MS was used to analyze and quantify the urinary proteome and 29 proteins had a significantly higher abundance (p<0.05) in bladder cancer samples compared with control urine samples. The increased abundance found in urine from bladder cancer patients compared with controls was confirmed with Western blot for four selected proteins; fibrinogen β chain precursor, apolipoprotein E, α-1-antitrypsin, and leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein 1. Dot blot analysis of an independent urine sample set pointed out fibrinogen β chain and α-1-antitrypsin as most interesting biomarkers having sensitivity and specificity values in the range of 66-85%. Exploring the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) also revealed that bladder cancer tumors are the likely source of these proteins. They have the potential of being useful in diagnosis, monitoring of recurrence and thus may improve the treatment of bladder tumors, especially nonmuscle invasive tumors.

Fibrinogen as a key regulator of inflammation in disease

The interaction of coagulation factors with the perivascular environment affects the development of disease in ways that extend beyond their traditional roles in the acute hemostatic cascade. Key molecular players of the coagulation cascade like tissue factor, thrombin, and fibrinogen are epidemiologically and mechanistically linked with diseases with an inflammatory component. Moreover, the identification of novel molecular mechanisms linking coagulation and inflammation has highlighted factors of the coagulation cascade as new targets for therapeutic intervention in a wide range of inflammatory human diseases. In particular, a proinflammatory role for fibrinogen has been reported in vascular wall disease, stroke, spinal cord injury, brain trauma, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bacterial infection, colitis, lung and kidney fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and several types of cancer. Genetic and pharmacologic studies have unraveled pivotal roles for fibrinogen in determining the extent of local or systemic inflammation. As cellular and molecular mechanisms for fibrinogen functions in tissues are identified, the role of fibrinogen is evolving from a marker of vascular rapture to a multi-faceted signaling molecule with a wide spectrum of functions that can tip the balance between hemostasis and thrombosis, coagulation and fibrosis, protection from infection and extensive inflammation, and eventually life and death. This review will discuss some of the main molecular links between coagulation and inflammation and will focus on the role of fibrinogen in inflammatory disease highlighting its unique structural properties, cellular targets, and signal transduction pathways that make it a potent proinflammatory mediator and a potential therapeutic target.

Fibrinogen-γ proteolysis and solubility dynamics during apoptotic mouse liver injury: heparin prevents and treats liver damage

Fas ligand (FasL)-mediated hepatocyte apoptosis occurs in the context of acute liver injury that can be accompanied by intravascular coagulation (IC). We tested the hypothesis that analysis of selected protein fractions from livers undergoing apoptosis will shed light on mechanisms that are involved in liver injury that might be amenable to intervention. Proteomic analysis of the major insoluble liver proteins after FasL exposure for 4-5 hours identified fibrinogen-γ (FIB-γ) dimers and FIB-γ-containing high molecular mass complexes among the major insoluble proteins visible via Coomassie blue staining. Presence of the FIB-γ-containing products was confirmed using FIB-γ-specific antibodies. The FIB-γ-containing products partition selectively and quantitatively into the liver parenchyma after inducing apoptosis. Similar formation of FIB-γ products occurs after acetaminophen administration. The observed intrahepatic IC raised the possibility that heparin therapy may ameliorate FasL-mediated liver injury. Notably, heparin administration in mice 4 hours before or up to 2 hours after FasL injection resulted in a dramatic reduction of liver injury-including liver hemorrhage, serum alanine aminotransferase, caspase activation, and liver apoptosis-compared with heparin-untreated mice. Heparin did not directly interfere with FasL-induced apoptosis in isolated hepatocytes, and heparin-treated mice survived the FasL-induced liver injury longer compared with heparin-untreated animals. There was a sharp, near-simultaneous rise in FasL-induced intrahepatic apoptosis and coagulation, with IC remaining stable while apoptosis continued to increase.

CONCLUSION

Formation of FIB-γ dimers and their high molecular mass products are readily detectable within the liver during mouse apoptotic liver injury. Heparin provides a potential therapeutic modality, because it not only prevents extensive FasL-related liver injury but also limits the extent of injury if given at early stages of injury exposure.

High preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with distant metastases and impaired prognosis after curative resection in patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels on clinicopathologic parameters and overall survival in patients after curative resection with colorectal cancer.

METHODS

Preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels were examined in 341 patients who underwent curative resection for colorectal cancer. Preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels were correlated with clinicopathologic findings and disease-specific overall survival.

RESULTS

Mean (±SD) preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels were 369.9 mg/dl (±69.1 mg/dl). Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels were associated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.008), venous invasion (P = 0.006), and postoperative distant metastases (P < 0.001), but not with histologic grade (P = 0.232), invasion depth (P = 0.253), and lymph node involvement (P = 0.136). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels (P = 0.029), histologic grade (P = 0.001), and lymph node involvement (P = 0.001) were defined as independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

High preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with distant metastases and impaired prognosis after curative resection in patients with colorectal cancer.