Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry in the genetic basis of systemic lupus erythematosus and the complicating kidney injury / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

ABSTRACT

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>It is necessary to develop some innovative methods to reveal and discover the novel (SLE)-related protein molecules. In the present study, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was employed to detect the differential expression of serum polypeptides in the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presenting with a family history or complicating with kidney injury so as to identify the proteins associated with the genetic factors and kidney injury in SLE.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The subjects recruited were divided into four groups, that is, a group of SLE patients with both family history and kidney injury, a group of SLE patients with only kidney injury but no family history, a group of SLE patients with neither family history nor kidney injury, and a control group consisting of healthy volunteers. By adopting MALDI-TOF MS analysis, the serum samples obtained from the three groups of SLE patients were examined and compared with those from the control group; the categorized peptide fingerprint profile was established via the biological data collected from the samples.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of protein with a m/z of 4207 Da increased significantly in SLE patients; the protein with a m/z of 2658 Da was expressed in all SLE patients; three proteins (with m/z of 1465, 5332, and 5900 Da respectively) were expressed in the SLE patients complicated with kidney injury and the protein with a m/z of 1943 Da was expressed in SLE patients with family history.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A number of differential proteins were successfully detected and identified through MALDI-TOF MS detection and these proteins may be associated with the genetic basis of SLE and the complicating kidney injury.</p>