Comparative analysis of serum proteomes of patients with cardiovascular disease

Copper homeostasis and copper-induced cell death： Novel targeting for intervention in the pathogenesis of vascular aging

Copper-induced cell death, also known as cuproptosis, is distinct from other types of cell death such as apoptosis, necrosis, and ferroptosis. It can trigger the accumulation of lethal reactive oxygen species, leading to the onset and progression of aging. The significant increases in copper ion levels in the aging populations confirm a close relationship between copper homeostasis and vascular aging. On the other hand, vascular aging is also closely related to the occurrence of various cardiovascular diseases throughout the aging process. However, the specific causes of vascular aging are not clear, and different living environments and stress patterns can lead to individualized vascular aging. By exploring the correlations between copper-induced cell death and vascular aging, we can gain a novel perspective on the pathogenesis of vascular aging and enhance the prognosis of atherosclerosis. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the impacts of copper homeostasis on vascular aging, including their effects on endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, oxidative stress, ferroptosis, intestinal flora, and other related factors. Furthermore, we intend to discuss potential strategies involving cuproptosis and provide new insights for copper-related vascular aging.

N, Adigal S, Lukose J, Kartha VB, Chidangil S. Cardiovascular biomarkers in body fluids: progress and prospects in optical sensors

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the major causative factors for high mortality and morbidity in developing and developed nations. The biomarker detection plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis of several non-infectious and life-threatening diseases like CVD and many cancers, which in turn will help in more successful therapy, reducing the mortality rate. Biomarkers have diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic significances. The search for novel biomarkers using proteomics, bio-sensing, micro-fluidics, and spectroscopic techniques with good sensitivity and specificity for CVD is progressing rapidly at present, in addition to the use of gold standard biomarkers like troponin. This review is dealing with the current progress and prospects in biomarker research for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Expert opinion. Fast diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) can help to provide rapid medical intervention, which can affect the patient's short and long-term health. Identification and detection of proper biomarkers for early diagnosis are crucial for successful therapy and prognosis of CVDs. The present review discusses the analysis of clinical samples such as whole blood, blood serum, and other body fluids using techniques like high-performance liquid chromatography-LASER/LED-induced fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, mainly, optical methods, combined with nanotechnology and micro-fluidic technologies, to probe patterns of multiple markers (marker signatures) as compared to conventional techniques.

Association Between Circulating Retinol-Binding Protein 4 and Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Background

The predictive role of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) in the adverse prognosis of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been well-defined. We thus conducted this cohort study to investigate the association between circulating RBP4 level and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in Chinese patients with stable CAD.

Methods

Patients with stable CAD and serum RBP4 concentration measurement at admission between July 2012 and January 2015 were included. The primary outcome in this study was incident MACEs, which included acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and cardiovascular death. Cox proportional hazards regression was adopted to investigate the association between RBP4 and the incidence of MACEs.

Results

A total of 840 patients with stable CAD were analyzed. The mean age of patients was 61.2 ± 15.9 years, and 56.1% of them were men. After a median follow-up of 2.3 years, 129 MACEs were observed. Compared to participants exposed to the first quartile of serum RBP4 level, those in the second, the third, and the fourth quartiles had associated hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.38 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33-4.26], 2.35 (95% CI: 1.31-4.21), and 2.27 (95% CI: 1.28-4.04) after adjusted for confounders, respectively. Every 5 μg/ml increment in serum RBP4 concentration was associated with an adjusted HR of 1.13 (95% CI: 1.05-1.22) for the occurrence of MACEs. Subgroup analyses suggested no significant modifying effects of baseline characteristics for the association between RBP4 and MACEs in patients with stable CAD.

Conclusion

Our finding suggested that the higher circulating RBP4 level was significantly associated with an increased risk of MACEs in patients with stable CAD.

Serum Proteomic Changes in Dogs with Different Stages of Chronic Heart Failure

Simple Summary

Canine MMVD is a progressive chronic disease with variable clinical signs, with some patients remaining completely asymptomatic while others develop CHF. Here, the aims of the pilot study were to evaluate serum proteins by proteomic analysis in dogs at different stages of chronic heart failure (CHF) due to degenerative mitral valve disease (MMVD), and how these proteins can change after a conventional treatment. Study revealed 157 different proteins; 11 were up- and 21 down-regulated at a statistically significant level in dogs with CHF compared to controls. Based on the bioinformatic analysis, protein–protein interactions between complement proteins, fibrinogen subtypes and others (albumin precursor, serpins, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain, fetuin, clusterin, apolipoproteins, and alpha-glycoproteins) showed that pathophysiology of CHF seems to be more sophisticated than we had thought. These proteins are associated with several cellular, biologic, and metabolic processes such as immune-inflammatory responses, hemostasis, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism, which might be detrimental in the progression of canine CHF. Their molecular and biological functions as well as roles in the signaling pathways, such as inflammation, cadherin signaling, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor signaling and Wnt signaling make them possible biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and treatments in dogs with different stages of CHF.

Abstract

MMVD, the most common cause of CHF in dogs, is a chronic disease with variable clinical signs, with some patients remaining asymptomatic while others develop CHF. Here, we aimed to evaluate serum proteins by proteomic analysis in dogs at different stages of CHF due to MMVD, and proteome behaviors after conventional treatment. A total of 32 dogs were divided equally into four groups—stage A (healthy/controls), stage B2 (asymptomatic), stage C and stage D (symptomatic)—according to the ACVIM consensus. Serum proteomes were evaluated using LC/MS-based label-free differential proteome analysis. The study revealed 157 different proteins; 11 were up- and 21 down-regulated in dogs with CHF compared to controls. In stage B2 dogs, angiotensinogen (AGT) was up-regulated, but immunoglobulin iota chain-like, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, and carboxypeptidase (CPN) were down-regulated. In stage C dogs, complement C3 (C3) and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain were up-regulated, but hemopexin, and actin-cytoplasmic-1 (ACT-1) were down-regulated. In stage D dogs, AGT was up-regulated, whereas tetranectin, paraoxonase-1, adiponectin and ACT-1 were down-regulated. A decrease in CPN, C3 and AGT and an increase in ACT-1 were observed after treatment of dogs in stage C. This pilot study identified that dogs at different stages of CHF show different serum protein composition which has potential to be biomarker for diagnose and treatment monitorization.

Involvement of RBP4 in Diabetic Atherosclerosis and the Role of Vitamin D Intervention

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the expression of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) in diabetic rats with atherosclerosis and to investigate the role of vitamin D intervention. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, including the control group (NC), the diabetic rats (DM1), the untreated diabetic atherosclerosis rats (DM2), and the vitamin D-treated diabetic atherosclerosis rats (DM3). The levels of serum and adipose RBP4, fasting insulin (FINS), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], C-reactive protein (CRP), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment β-cell function index (HOMA-β), and atherogenic indexes (AI) were calculated. Compared with group NC, the levels of RBP4, TG, LDL-c, FPG, FINS, CRP, AI1, AI2, SBP, and HOMA-IR increased, while the levels of HDL-c, 25(OH)D, and HOMA-β decreased in groups DM1 and DM2. After 8 weeks of vitamin D supplementation in group DM3, the levels of 25(OH)D and HOMA-β increased and the levels of LDL-c, TC, HOMA-IR, FINS, CRP, RBP4, AI1, AI2, and SBP decreased significantly when compared with group DM2 (P < 0.05); Pearson analysis showed that serum RBP4 was positively correlated with TG, FINS, HOMA-IR, SBP, CRP, and AI and negatively correlated with 25(OH)D. In addition, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that serum RBP4, SBP, and HDL-c were predictors for the presence of diabetic atherosclerosis. These findings suggested that RBP4 could involve in the improvement of diabetic atherosclerosis; vitamin D had the ability to decrease the level of RBP4 and eventually played an important role in preventing atherosclerosis in diabetes.

Comparative analysis of the serum proteome for biomarker discovery to reveal hepatotoxicity induced by iron ion radiation in mice

AIMS

Proteomic analysis of serum biomarkers to determine liver toxicity after exposure to cosmic radiation has not been performed previously. This study was to identify serum biomarkers associated with hepatotoxicity following exposure to iron ion radiation.

MAIN METHODS

Male mice were whole-body irradiated with a 2grayunit (Gy) iron ion beam, and after 3months, serum and liver samples were collected. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) was used to separate the identified serum proteins, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF) was performed to identify differentially expressed proteins. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunoblotting were applied to evaluate protein expression, and immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to investigate protein localization. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to confirm altered gene expression.

KEY FINDINGS

A total of 11 spots that showed differential expression were screened and identified as seven proteins. Of these, six proteins were in the same bioinformatics network and included complement component 3, serum amyloid P-component, apolipoprotein E, alpha-2-macroglobulin, fibrinogen alpha chain, and fibrinogen gamma chain. All of these proteins are synthesized by the liver, and may play an important role in liver toxicity. We also confirmed the mRNA transcription, and found that mRNA expression of the six identified proteins increased in the liver in irradiated mice.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results suggest that these proteins may be potential biomarkers of hepatotoxicity in astronauts enduring long space missions.

Overexpressed Calponin3 by Subsonic Vibration Induces Neural Differentiation of hUC-MSCs by Regulating the Ionotropic Glutamate Receptor

In this study, we used proteomics to investigate the effects of sonic vibration (SV) on mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cords (hUC-MSCs) during neural differentiation to understand how SV enhances neural differentiation of hUC-MSCs. We investigated the levels of gene and protein related to neural differentiation after 3 or 5 days in a group treated with 40-Hz SV. In addition, protein expression patterns were compared between the control and the 40-Hz SV-treated hUC-MSC groups via a proteomic approach. Among these proteins, calponin3 (CNN3) was confirmed to have 299 % higher expression in the 40-Hz SV stimulated hUC-MSCs group than that in the control by Western blotting. Notably, overexpression of CNN3-GFP in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells had positive effects on the stability and reorganization of F-actin compared with that in GFP-transfected cells. Moreover, CNN3 changed the morphology of the cells by making a neurite-like form. After being subjected to SV, messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of glutamate receptors such as PSD95, GluR1, and NR1 as well as intracellular calcium levels were upregulated. These results suggest that the activity of glutamate receptors increased because of CNN3 characteristics. Taken together, these results demonstrate that overexpressed CNN3 during SV increases expression of glutamate receptors and promotes functional neural differentiation of hUC-MSCs.

Prognostic value of elevated serum ceruloplasmin levels in patients with heart failure

BACKGROUND

Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is a copper-binding acute-phase protein that is increased in inflammatory states and deficient in Wilson's disease. Recent studies demonstrate that increased levels of Cp are associated with increased risk of developing heart failure. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that serum Cp provides incremental and independent prediction of survival in stable patients with heart failure.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We measured serum Cp levels in 890 patients with stable heart failure undergoing elective cardiac evaluation that included coronary angiography. We examined the role of Cp levels in predicting survival over 5 years of follow-up. Mean Cp level was 26.6 ± 6.9 mg/dL and demonstrated relatively weak correlation with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP; r = 0.187; P < .001). Increased Cp levels were associated with increased 5-year all-cause mortality (quartile [Q] 4 vs Q1 hazard ratio [HR] 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-2.8; P < .001). When controlled for coronary disease traditional risk factors, creatinine clearance, dialysis, body mass index, medications, history of myocardial infarction, BNP, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), heart rate, QRS duration, left bundle branch blockage, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, higher Cp remained an independent predictor of increased mortality (Q4 vs Q1 HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6; P < .05). Model quality was improved with addition of Cp to the aforementioned covariables (net reclassification improvement of 9.3%; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Ceruloplasmin is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure. Measurement of Cp may help to identify patients at heightened mortality risk.

Serum levels of retinol-binding protein-4 are associated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease

Background

The interplay between the novel adipokine retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is still obscure. We investigated the relationship between RBP4 levels and the presence and severity of angiographically proven CAD and determined its possible role in acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods

305 individuals with angiographically proven CAD (CAD-patients), were classified into 2 subgroups: 1) acute myocardial infarction (AMI, n = 141), and 2) stable angina (SA, n = 164). Ninety-one age- and sex-matched individuals without CAD, but with at least 2 classical cardiovascular risk factors, served as controls (non-CAD group). RBP4 serum levels were measured at hospital admission and were analyzed in relation to the coronary severity stenosis, assessed by the Gensini-score and the number of coronary narrowed vessels. Other clinical parameters, including insulin levels, HOMA-IR, hsCRP, glycaemic and lipid profile, and left-ventricular ejection fraction were also assessed.

Results

Serum RBP4 levels were significantly elevated in patients with CAD compared to non-CAD patients (39.29 ± 11.72 mg/L vs. 24.83 ± 11.27 mg/L, p < 0.001). We did not observe a significant difference in RBP4 levels between AMI and SA subgroups (p = 0.734). Logistic regression analysis revealed an independent association of CAD presence with serum RBP4 (β = 0.163, p = 0.006), and hsCRP (β = 0.122, p = 0.022) levels, in the whole study group. Among variables, hsCRP (β = 0.220), HDL (β = −0.150), and RBP4 (β = 0.297), correlated in both univariate and multivariate analysis with CAD severity (R² = 0.422, p < 0.001). Similarly, RBP4 concentrations increased with the number of coronary narrowed vessels (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Patients with CAD, both SA and AMI, showed elevated RBP4 serum levels. Notably, increased RBP4 concentration seemed to independently correlate with CAD severity, but no with AMI.

Trial registration

The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is: NCT00636766

Urinary MCP-1 and RBP: independent predictors of renal outcome in macroalbuminuric diabetic nephropathy

BACKGROUND

Albuminuria has been considered a sine qua non condition for the diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and has been widely used as a surrogate outcome of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, recent data suggest that albuminuria may fail as a biomarker in a subset of patients, and the search for novel markers is intense.

METHODS

We analyzed the role of urinary RBP and of serum and urinary cytokines (TGF-beta, MCP-1 and VEGF) as predictors of the risk of dialysis, doubling of serum creatinine or death (primary outcome, PO) in 56 type 2 diabetic patients with macroalbuminuric DN.

RESULTS

Mean follow-up time was 30.7±10 months. Urinary RBP and MCP-1 were significantly higher in patients presenting the PO, whereas no difference was shown for TGF-β or VEGF. In the Cox regression, urinary RBP, MCP-1 and VEGF were positively associated and serum VEGF was inversely related to the risk of the PO. However, after adjustments for creatinine clearance, proteinuria, and blood pressure only urinary RBP (OR 11.6; 95% CI 2.7-49.2, p=0.001 for log RBP) and urinary MCP-1 (OR 11.0; 95% CI 1.6-76.4, p=0.02 for log MCP-1) remained as significant independent predictors of the PO.

CONCLUSION

Urinary RBP and MCP-1 are independently related to the risk of CKD progression in patients with macroalbuminuric DN. Whether these biomarkers have a role in the setting of normoalbuminuria and microalbuminuria in DN should be further investigated.

Proteomic profiling of tumor-initiating cells in HT-29 human colorectal cancer cells

Recent reports have suggested that tumors are organized in heterogeneous populations. Within these populations, a small subpopulation of cells is more capable of initiating malignancy; these are called cancer stem cells. In this study, HT-29 cells were sorted according to the presence or absence of the cancer stem cell marker CD133. We confirmed that CD133+ cells possessed higher clonogenicity compared to CD133- cells. Furthermore, proteomic analysis identified 10 proteins, including actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 5-like and profilin 2. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that the expression of specific proteins associated with metastasis and invasion in CD133+ cells contributed to the stemness and tumorigenic properties of these cells.

Comparison of tear proteins between healthy and early diabetic retinopathy patients

OBJECTIVES

To identify potential prognostic or diagnostic marker tear proteins for early diabetic retinopathy (DR) and to investigate the pathogenesis of this disease using proteomics techniques.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The tear proteins expressed in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus without the retinopathy symptoms, nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy and healthy volunteers were analyzed by 2-DE. The differentially expressed proteins in patients were identified by ESI-Q-TOF and confirmed by Western blotting.

RESULTS

Proteins which were differentially expressed with statistical significance (P<0.05) in two diabetic groups as compared to those in healthy group were selected and identified by ESI-Q-TOF MS/MS. Among these proteins, three proteins (LCN-1, HSP27 and B2M) were found to exhibit a progressive reduction in two disease groups. The expression levels of which might be useful as diagnostic biomarkers of DR were verified by Western blotting

CONCLUSIONS

Proteomic analysis using tear is a novel approach that can provide insight into possible biomarker and the pathogenesis of early DR.