The 90-day prognostic value of serum cyclophilin A in traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND: Cyclophilin A is involved in many inflammatory diseases and its expression is up-regulated after brain injury. We determined if serum cyclophilin A could be used as a marker for severity and 90-day outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: Serum cyclophilin A concentrations were quantified in 105 severe TBI patients and 105 healthy individuals. Its association with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, 90-day mortality and 90-day poor outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 1-3) were investigated. RESULTS: Serum cyclophilin A concentrations were significantly higher in TBI patients than in healthy individuals. Cyclophilin A concentrations had a close relation to GCS scores and showed a high discriminatory ability for 90-day mortality and poor outcome according to area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Its AUC was in the range of GCS scores. Moreover, its combination with GCS scores significantly improved the predictive performance of GCS scores alone. In addition, serum cyclophilin A emerged as an independent predictor for 90-day mortality, overall survival and poor outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Increased serum cyclophilin A concentrations could reflect trauma severity and unfavorable outcome after head trauma, substantializing cyclophilin A as a potential biomarker for prognostic prediction of TBI.

[The expression and significance of apoptosis related gene BAG-1 in meningioma].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expressions of BAG-1 in meningioma for further understanding of biological behaviors of meningiomas. METHODS: The specimens included in this study were collected from 158 meningioma cases. Streptavidin-peroxidase were used in immunohistochemical staining. The results of immunohistochemical score were depending on the positive ratio and intensity of the immunoreactivity. The expressions of BAG-1 in meningioma were analyzed in relationship with histopathologic grading, postoperative recurrence. RESULTS: The difference in the expression degree of BAG-1 between each subtype in the same histopathologic grade and various subtypes between the grade of II to III were not statically significant (P > 0.05). The expression degree of BAG-1 between each subtype in the pathological grade I to the each subtype pathological grade I or III was different, the difference had statistical significance (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The immunohistochemical score of the expression of BAG-1 was decreased gradually with the pathologic grading of WHO increased, and the result was statistically significant (chi2 = 141.49, P < 0.01). As the immunohistochemical score of the expression of BAG-1 decreased the postoperative meningioma was easy to recur, the result was statistically significant (x2 = 55.13, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The expression degree of BAG-1 is in close correlations with the WHO pathologic grading of meningioma. The lower the expressions of BAG-1, the more recurrent with postoperation of meningiomas will be.

[MALDI-TOF-MS combined with WCX technique in diagnosing pituitary adenoma].

OBJECTIVE: Application of matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry enhancement (MALDI-TOF-MS) combined with WCX nanometer magnetic bead technique, screening of the serum biomarkers in pituitary adenoma, to establish a serum protein fingerprint classification decision tree. METHODS: Analyse the serum samples of 40 cases of pituitary adenoma and 60 cases of healthy adult and find the different protein peaks, then to establish the diagnosis model and the classification decision tree of pituitary adenomas. RESULTS: A total of 42 differences in protein peaks were identified in the experimental and control group (P < 0.01). The diagnosis model of pituitary adenomas was established by three protein peaks (3382.0, 4601.9, 9191.2). The model could screen the pituitary adenoma out of the normal population. The sensitivity was 90.00% and the specificity was 88.30%. By the double blind experimental validation, the model could diagnose the pituitary adenoma and the sensitivity was 88%, the specificity was 83.30%. CONCLUSION: Significantly different protein peaks can be screened out between pituitary adenoma cases and healthy controls using MALDI-TOF-MS combined with WCX technique, and these protein peaks may be used as a pituitary adenoma detection, follow-up indicator.

Pituitary adenoma biomarkers identified using proteomic fingerprint technology.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pituitary adenomas can be diagnosed by identifying protein biomarkers in the serum. METHODS: We compared serum proteins from 65 pituitary adenoma patients and 90 healthy donors using proteomic fingerprint technology combining magnetic beads with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). RESULTS: A total of 42 M/Z peaks were identified as related to pituitary adenoma (P<0.01). A diagnostic model established based on three biomarkers (3382.0, 4601.9, 9191.2) showed that the sensitivity of diagnosing pituitary adenoma was 90.0% and the specificity was 88.3%. The model was further tested by blind analysis showing that the sensitivity was 88.0% and the specificity was 83.3%. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that proteomic fingerprint technology can be used to identify pituitary adenoma biomarkers and the model based on three biomarkers (3382.0, 4601.9, 9191.2) provides a powerful and reliable method for diagnosing pituitary adenoma.