Clinical significance of elevated serum A-FABP and free fatty acid in neonates with hypoxic ischemic brain damage

A comparative proteomic analysis for non-invasive early prediction of hypoxic-ischemic injury in asphyxiated neonates

AIM

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the principal causes of neonatal mortality and long-term morbidity worldwide. The neonatal signs of mild cerebral injury are subtle, making an early precise diagnosis difficult. Delayed detection, poor prognosis, and lack of specific biomarkers for the disease are increasing mortality rates. In this study, we intended to identify specific biomarkers using comparative proteomic analysis to predict the severity of perinatal asphyxia so that its outcome can also be prevented.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A case-control study was conducted on 38 neonates, and urine samples were collected within 24 and 72 h of life. A tandem mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics approach, followed by validation via sandwich ELISA, was performed.

RESULTS

The LC-MS/MS-based proteomics analysis resulted in the identification of 1201 proteins in urine, with 229, 244, and 426 being differentially expressed in HIE-1, HIE-2, and HIE-3, respectively. Axon guidance, Diseases of programmed cell death, and Detoxification of reactive oxygen species pathways were significantly enriched in mild HIE versus severe HIE. Among the differentially expressed proteins in various stages of HIE, we chose to validate four proteins - APP, AGT, FABP1, and FN1 - via sandwich ELISA. Individual and cumulative ROC curves were plotted. AGT and FABP1 together showed high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of HIE.

CONCLUSION

Establishing putative urinary biomarkers will facilitate clinicians to more accurately screen neonates for brain injury and monitor the disease progression. Prompt treatment of neonates may reduce mortality and neurodevelopmental impairment.

The Nutraceutical Value of Olive Oil and Its Bioactive Constituents on the Cardiovascular System. Focusing on Main Strategies to Slow Down Its Quality Decay during Production and Storage

Cardiovascular diseases represent the principal cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is well-known that oxidative stress and inflammatory processes are strongly implicated in their pathogenesis; therefore, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agents can represent effective tools. In recent years a large number of scientific reports have pointed out the nutraceutical and nutritional value of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO), strongholds of the Mediterranean diet, endowed with a high nutritional quality and defined as functional foods. In regard to EVOO, it is a food composed of a major saponifiable fraction, represented by oleic acid, and a minor unsaponifiable fraction, including a high number of vitamins, polyphenols, and squalene. Several reports suggest that the beneficial effects of EVOO are linked to the minor components, but recently, further studies have shed light on the health effects of the fatty fraction and the other constituents of the unsaponifiable fraction. In the first part of this review, an analysis of the clinical and preclinical evidence of the cardiovascular beneficial effects of each constituent is carried out. The second part of this review is dedicated to the main operating conditions during production and/or storage that can directly influence the shelf life of olive oil in terms of both nutraceutical properties and sensory quality.