Preliminary investigation on the impact of salty and sugary former foods on pig liver and plasma profiles using OMICS approaches.

Replacing cereals with food leftovers could reduce feed-food competition and keep nutrients and energy in the food chain. Former food products (FFPs) are industrial food leftovers no more intended for human but still suitable as alternative and sustainable feedstuffs for monogastric. In this study, omics approaches were applied to evaluate the impact of dietary FFPs on pig liver proteome and plasma peptidome. Thirty-six Swiss Large White male castrated pigs were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments [control (CTR), 30% CTR replaced with salty FFP (SA), 30% CTR replaced with sugary FFP (SU)] from the start of the growing phase (22.4 ± 1.7 kg) until slaughtering (110 ± 3 kg). The low number of differentially regulated proteins in each comparison matrix (SA/SU vs. CTR) and the lack of metabolic interaction indicated a marginal impact on hepatic lipid metabolism. The plasma peptidomics investigation showed low variability between the peptidome of the three dietary groups and identified three possible bioactive peptides in the SA group associated with anti-hypertension and vascular homeostasis regulation. To conclude, the limited modulation of liver proteome and plasma peptidome by the SA and SU diets strenghtened the idea of reusing FFPs as feed ingredients to make pig production more sustainable.

The Comparison of Irisin, Subfatin, and Adropin in Normal-Weight and Obese Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Patients.

Background: A combination of genetic and environmental factors contribute to the highly common, complex, and varied endocrine condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women. PCOS primarily affects women between the ages of 15 and 35 who are in the early to late stages of pregnancy. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of irisin, subfatin, and adropin in PCOS with and without obesity compared to the control group. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 at Al-Nahrain University/Department of Chemistry (Baghdad, Iraq). The serum levels of irisin, subfatin, and adropin were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Body mass index, lipid profile, insulin, fasting glucose, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone levels were also evaluated. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by GraphPad Prism software version 8.0.2. A P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study population comprised PCOS patients (n=90, divided into 45 obese and 45 normal weight) and healthy women (n=30). According to the results, the serum levels of irisin were significantly higher (P<0.001) in obese and normal-weight PCOS patients than controls. While adropin and subfatin were significantly lower in PCOS than controls (P<0.001). Moreover, there are higher levels of serum insulin, fasting glucose, and luteinizing hormone in PCOS women than in healthy women. Conclusion: According to the findings, PCOS patients had a higher level of irisin than the controls. In addition, decreased subfatin and adropin levels were observed in PCOS patients compared with healthy women. Further research is required to confirm these results in the future.

A plasma peptidomic signature reveals extracellular matrix remodeling and predicts prognosis in alcohol-associated hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is plagued with high mortality and difficulty in identifying at-risk patients. The extracellular matrix undergoes significant remodeling during inflammatory liver injury and could potentially be used for mortality prediction. METHODS: EDTA plasma samples were collected from patients with AH (n = 62); Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score defined AH severity as moderate (12-20; n = 28) and severe (>20; n = 34). The peptidome data were collected by high resolution, high mass accuracy UPLC-MS. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified differentially abundant peptides, which were used for Gene Ontology, parent protein matrisomal composition, and protease involvement. Machine-learning methods were used to develop mortality predictors. RESULTS: Analysis of plasma peptides from patients with AH and healthy controls identified over 1600 significant peptide features corresponding to 130 proteins. These were enriched for extracellular matrix fragments in AH samples, likely related to the turnover of hepatic-derived proteins. Analysis of moderate versus severe AH peptidomes was dominated by changes in peptides from collagen 1A1 and fibrinogen A proteins. The dominant proteases for the AH peptidome spectrum appear to be CAPN1 and MMP12. Causal graphical modeling identified 3 peptides directly linked to 90-day mortality in >90% of the learned graphs. These peptides improved the accuracy of mortality prediction over the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and were used to create a clinically applicable mortality prediction assay. CONCLUSIONS: A signature based on plasma peptidome is a novel, noninvasive method for prognosis stratification in patients with AH. Our results could also lead to new mechanistic and/or surrogate biomarkers to identify new AH mechanisms.

Molecular beacon-peptide probe based double recycling amplification for multiplexed detection of serum exosomal microRNAs.

Exosomal microRNAs (exomiRs) have been shown to play crucial roles as biomarkers for early detection and prognosis of cancer. However, simultaneous quantification of multiplex exomiRs is hindered by methods that require additional steps, such as labeling with fluorophores or gel visualization, which are susceptible to various factors. Herein, we developed a mass spectrometry-detectable and target-triggered method for multiplexed exomiR detection using three enzyme-based double recycling amplification in combination with well-designed molecular beacon-peptide (MBP) probes, called molecular beacon-peptide probe-based double recycling amplification (MBPDRA). MBP probes mediated the double recycling amplification reaction and were released as mass-detectable reporter peptides. In particular, the hybridization of the target microRNAs (miRNAs) with the stem-loop of the probe triggers two consecutive processes. The first cycle involved polymerase strand displacement amplification, leading to the production of complementary DNA (cycle I), and the second cycle encompassed the recycling exonuclease cleavage of the MBP probe (cycle II). Subsequently, excess probes were removed by interaction with streptavidin beads via biotin-streptavidin binding. The reporter peptides were released using trypsin and subsequently detected by mass spectrometry. Our method enables quantitative detection of multiple exomiRs with a dynamic range from 0.1 fM to 10 pM and a limit of quantification of 0.1 fM. Moreover, the proposed assay was successfully employed for quantification of three exomiRs, exmiR-21, exmiR-191, and exmiR-451a, in the sera of patients with pancreatic cancer. Based on these findings, we believe that the MBPDRA assay holds significant promise as a reliable method for quantifying multiple miRNAs in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics.

The role of serum adropin in determining the clinical outcomes of patients with traumatic brain injury: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: It has been determined that adropin has a role in tissue healing. This study aimed to determine the effects of head trauma on the tissues and blood levels of patients admitted to the emergency department. METHODS: The study group was divided into two to compare the adropin level in healthy individuals and patients with head trauma. Blood tests from patients and healthy volunteers were compared using the adropin kit. Adropin levels, Glasgow Coma Scale, and revised scores of trauma patients were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: All patients in the trauma group had significantly higher adropin levels than the control group. Among these patients, the adropin level of the discharged patients was higher than the others. In addition, patients with high Glasgow Coma Scale and normal blood pressure were found to have higher adropin levels than the others. CONCLUSION: Although adropin cannot make a sharp distinction in determining the prognosis, the increase in its level in trauma patients shows that it triggers a protective mechanism.

[Correlation between serum HDL/LDL and t-PINP /ß-CTX and osteoporotic vertebral fractures in elderly women].

OBJECTIVE: To explore high density lipoprotein (HDL)/low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total typeⅠcollagen amino terminal extender peptide (t-PINP)/ C-terminal peptide of typeⅠcollagen ß special sequence(ß-CTX)and risk of osteoporosis vertebral fractures (OPVFs) in elderly women. METHODS: The clinical data of 446 female OPVFs patients aged above 60 years old from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether or not fracture, patients were divided into non-fracture group (186 patients) and fracture group(260 patients). Univariate analysis was performed to analysis age, body mass index(BMI), N-terminal mioldle molecular fragment of osteocalcin, N-MID OC), t-PINP, ß-CTX, 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25-(OH) VitD], blood sugar (Glu), total cholesterol(TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), Ca, P, Mg, urea (UREA), creatinine (Cr) and Cystatin C(CysC), and correlation between OPVFs and the above indexes and lipid, bone metabolism indexes between two groups;Logistic regression was performed to analyze risk factors and stratification relationship between vertebral fracture and HDL/LDL, t-PINP/ß-CTX. Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors and stratification relationship between OPVFs and HDL/LDL, t-PINP/ß-CTX. RESULTS: There were no significant difference in age and BMI between non-fracture group and fracture group (P>0.05). Compared with non-fracture group, contents of HDL, t-PINP/ß-CTX and HDL/LDL in fracture group were decreased, and contents of ß-CTX were increased (P<0.05). OPVFs was positively correlated with ß-CTX (r=0.110, P<0.05), and negatively correlated with HDL, HDL/LDL and t-PINP/ß-CTX (r=-0.157, -0.175, -0.181, P<0.05). HDL and HDL/LDL were negatively correlated with ß-CTX (r=-0.22, -0.12, P<0.05) and t-PINP (r=-0.13, -0.10, P<0.05). 25-(OH) VitD was positively correlated with TC and HDL (r=0.11, 0.18, P<0.05). HDL/LDL was positively correlated with t-PINP/ß-CTX(r=0.11, P=0.02). t-PINP/ß-CTX[OR=0.998, 95%CI(0.997, 1.000), P<0.05], HDL/LDL[OR=0.228, 95%CI(0.104, 0.499), P<0.01] were risk factors for vertebral fracture. The lower levels between two tristratified indicators, the higher the vertebral fracture rate. The risk of fracture was 2.5 and 2 times higher in the lowest stratum than in the highest stratum, with an adjusted OR was[2.112, 95%CI(1.310, 3.404)] and [2.331, 95%CI(1.453, 3.739)], respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum low HDL/LDL and t-PINP /ß-CTX are independent risk factors for OPVF in elderly women, and have good predictive value for OPVF risk.

The clinical assessment of changes in bone density in rheumatoid arthritis patients': Role of DEXA scan and bone turnover biomarkers.

In addition to generalised of bone loss and a higher fracture risk, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes periarticular bone erosions. Improvements in bone density/erosion and turnover may not go hand in hand with a positive clinical response to biological anti-inflammatory drugs assesed by disease activity score 28 (DAS28) in RA patients. This study aimed to understand how biologic anti-inflammatory drugs affect bone density, erosion, and turnover in RA patients. We examined bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover biomarkers. The study population consisted of 62 RA patients, 49 (79%) of whom were female and 13 (21%) of whom were male. The patients ranged in age from 40 to 79 years old. The patients' BMD was measured using a DEXA scan, and their plasma levels of bone turnover biomarkers CTX and osteocalcin were quantified utilizing an ELISA. BMD of the hip and lumbar spine in responder patients rose after therapy by 0.001g/cm2 (0.11 percent, p0.001 vs. before treatment) and 0.0396g/cm2 (3.96 percent, p0.001 vs. before treatment), respectively. Clinically non-responder patients' DAS28 revealed minor reductions in hip BMD values of -0.008g/cm2 (-0.78 percent, p0.001 vs. before therapy), as well as an improvement in lumbar spine BMD of 0.03g/cm2 (3.03 percent, p0.001 vs. before treatment). After 12 weeks of therapy, the CTX levels in responder patients dropped from 164 125 pg/ml to 131 129 pg/ml. Osteocalcin levels in non-responder patients increased substantially from 11.6 ng/ml to 14.9 ng/ml after 12 weeks of therapy compared to baseline (p = 0.01). Treatment with biologic anti-inflammatory medicines decreases widespread bone loss in RA patients' hip and lumbar spine. The beneficial effects of therapy on BMD were not associated with changes in disease activity of RA patients. Changes in plasma levels of bone turnover biomarkers such as sCTX and osteocalcin confirmed the treatment's beneficial effects.

A Novel Peptidome Technology for the Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease by Selected Reaction Monitoring.

Background: With the aging of populations worldwide, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a concern due to its high prevalence and the continued lack of established treatments. Early diagnosis is required as a preventive intervention to modify the disease's progression. In our previous study, we performed peptidomic analysis of serum samples obtained from AD patients and age-matched healthy subjects to seek peptide biomarker candidates for AD by using BLOTCHIP-MS analysis, and identified four peptides as AD biomarker candidates. Objective: The objective was to validate the serum biomarker peptides to distinguish mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD in comparison to cognitively healthy controls using a new peptidome technology, the Dementia Risk Test. Methods: We enrolled 195 subjects with normal cognitive function (NC; n = 70), MCI (n = 55), and AD (n = 70), The concentrations of cognitive impairment marker peptides (Fibrinogen α chain (FAC), Fibrinogen ß chain (FBC), Plasma protease C1 inhibitor (PPC1I), α2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG)) were quantified by using a selected reaction monitoring assay based on liquid chromatography-MS/MS. Results: The present study confirmed that three peptides, FAC, FBC, and PPC1I, were significantly upregulated during the onset of AD. This three-peptide set was both highly sensitive in determining AD (sensitivity: 85.7%, specificity: 95.7%, AUC: 0.900) and useful in distinguishing MCI (sensitivity: 61.8%, specificity: 98.6%, AUC: 0.824) from NC. Conclusions: In this validation study, we confirmed the high diagnostic potential of the three peptides identified in our previous study as candidate serum biomarkers for AD. The Dementia Risk Test may be a powerful tool for detecting AD-related pathological changes.

Changes in the concentration of bone turnover markers in men after maximum intensity exercise.

Background: Physical activity is an important factor in modelling the remodelling and metabolism of bone tissue. The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in indices demonstrating bone turnover in men under the influence of maximum-intensity exercise. Methods: The study involved 33 men aged 20-25, divided into two groups: experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 18). People training medium- and long-distance running were assigned to the experimental group, and non-training individuals to the control. Selected somatic, physiological and biochemical indices were measured. The level of aerobic fitness was determined using a progressively increasing graded test (treadmill test for subjective fatigue). Blood samples for determinations were taken before the test and 60 minutes after its completion. The concentration of selected bone turnover markers was assessed: bone fraction of alkaline phosphatase (b-ALP), osteoclacin (OC), N-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of the alpha chain of type I collagen (NTx1), N-terminal propeptide of type I progolagen (PINP), osteoprotegerin (OPG). In addition, the concentration of 25(OH)D3 prior to the stress test was determined. Additionally, pre and post exercise, the concentration of lactates in the capillary blood was determined. Results: When comparing the two groups, significant statistical differences were found for the mean level of: 25(OH)D3 (p = 0.025), b-ALP (p < 0.001), OC (p = 0.004) and PINP (p = 0.029) prior to the test. On the other hand, within individual groups, between the values pre and post the stress test, there were statistically significant differences for the average level of: b-ALP (p < 0.001), NTx1 (p < 0.001), OPG (p = 0.001) and PINP (p = 0.002). Conclusion: A single-session maximum physical effort can become an effective tool to initiate positive changes in bone turnover markers.

PoCOsteo: generic novel platform for bone turnover marker measurement & monitoring.

Despite the increasing efforts in improving bone health assessments, current diagnostics suffer from critical shortcomings. The present article therefore describes a multiplex label-free immunosensor designed and validated for the assessment of two bone turnover markers (BTMs), namely beta isomerized C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTx) and Procollagen I Intact N-Terminal (PINP), the combination of which is needed to illustrate an accurate overview of bone health. The immunosensor was then tested outside and inside of a microsystem, with the aim of becoming compatible with a point of care system fabricated for automated assessment of these biomarkers later-on at patient side. Custom-made monoclonal antibodies were specifically designed for this purpose in order to guarantee the selectivity of the immunosensor. In the final platform, a finger prick blood sample is introduced into the microfluidic manifolds without any need for sample preparation step, making the tool suitable for near patient and outside of the central laboratory applications. The platform was exploited in 30 real blood samples with the results validated using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The results revealed the platform was capable of measuring the target analyte with high sensitivity and beyond the recommended clinical reference range for each biomarker (CTx: 104-1028 ng L-1 and PINP: 16-96 µg L-1, correspondingly). They also showed the platform to have a limit of detection of 15 (ng L-1) and 0.66 (µg L-1), a limit of quantification of 49 (ng L-1) and 2.21 (µg L-1), and an inter- and intra-assay coefficient of variance of 5.39-6.97% and 6.81-5.37%, for CTx and PINP respectively, which is comparable with the gold standard. The main advantage of the platform over the state-of-the art was the capability of providing the results for two markers recommended for assessing bone health within 15 minutes and without the need for skilled personnel or costly infrastructure.

Investigating protease-mediated peptides of inflammation and tissue remodeling as biomarkers associated with flares in psoriatic arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis. PsA disease involves flares, which are associated with increased joint inflammation and tissue remodeling. There is a need for identifying biomarkers related to PsA disease activity and flares to improve the management of PsA patients and decrease flares. The tissue turnover imbalance that occurs during the inflammatory and fibro-proliferative processes during flares leads to an increased degradation and/or reorganization of the extracellular matrix (ECM), where increased proteolysis plays a key role. Hence, protease-mediated fragments of inflammatory and tissue-remodeling components could be used as markers reflecting flares in PsA patients. METHODS: A broad panel of protease-mediated biomarkers reflecting inflammation and tissue remodeling was measured in serum and synovial fluid (SF) obtained from PsA patients experiencing flares (acutely swollen joint[s], PsA-flare). In serum, biomarker levels assessed in PsA-flare patients were compared to controls and in early-diagnosed PsA patients not experiencing flares (referred to as PsA without flare). Furthermore, the biomarker levels assessed in SF from PsA-flare patients were compared to the levels in SF of osteoarthritis (OA) patients. RESULTS: In serum, levels of the PRO-C3 and C3M, reflecting formation and degradation of the interstitial matrix, were found significantly elevated in PsA-flare compared to controls and PsA without flare. The remodeling marker of the basement membrane, PRO-C4, was significantly elevated in PsA-flare compared to PsA without flare. The inflammation and immune cell activity related markers, CRPM, VICM, and CPa9-HNE were significantly elevated in PsA-flare patients compared to controls and PsA without flare. In addition, VICM (AUC = 0.71), CPa9-HNE (AUC = 0.89), CRPM (AUC = 0.76), and PRO-C3 (AUC = 0.86) showed good discriminatory performance for separating PsA-flare from PsA without flare. In SF, the macrophage activity marker, VICM, was significantly elevated whereas the type II collagen formation marker, PRO-C2, was significantly reduced in the PsA-flare compared to OA. The combination of five serum markers reflecting type III and IV collagen degradation (C3M and C4M, respectively), type III and VI collagen formation (PRO-C3 and PRO-C6, respectively), and neutrophil activity (CPa9-HNE) showed an excellent discriminatory performance (AUC = 0.98) for separating PsA-flare from PsA without flares. CONCLUSIONS: The serum biomarker panel of C3M, C4M, PRO-C3, PRO-C6, and CPa9-HNE reflecting synovitis, enthesitis, and neutrophil activity may serve as novel tool for quantitatively monitoring flares in PsA patients.

The role of bone turnover markers in diagnosis, monitoring, and pathological fractures of osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the utility of specific biomarkers-namely, c-terminal telopeptide (CTX), n-telopeptide (NTX), deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-compared to conventional diagnostic methods. We hy-pothesized that these novel biomarkers could hold substantial value in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of osteoporosis. METHODS: The study was conducted over a three-year period, from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2023. We enrolled a total of 520 patients aged 50 years or older who had been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Patients undergoing steroid treatments, which are known to contribute to osteoporosis, were excluded from the study. Additionally, we carefully selected and matched a control group consisting of 500 patients based on demographic characteristics relevant to the diagnosis of osteoporosis. This meticulous selection process resulted in a comprehensive cohort comprising 1,020 patients. Throughout the study, patients were closely monitored for a duration of one year to track the occurrence of pathological fractures and assess their overall prognosis. RESULTS: As a result of our rigorous investigation, we identified CTX, NTX, DPD, and TRAP as pivotal biomarkers that play a crucial role in evaluating bone health, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and detecting pathological fractures in the context of osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: Our study underscores the significance of these biomarkers in advancing the diagnosis and management of osteo-porosis, offering valuable insights into the disease's progression and treatment outcomes.

Long-Term Changes of Urinary Exosomal Peptide Levels After Thyroidectomy in Patients with Thyroid Cancer: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: The recurrence rate of thyroid cancer can be as high as 30%. The purpose of this study was to examine changes of urine exosomal peptide levels after thyroidectomy in patients with thyroid cancer to determine if levels can predict the risk of recurrence. Methods: Patients >20 years old as newly diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer who had received a thyroidectomy were recruited. Urine samples were collected at 12 months after enrollment to the study, and 1 year later. Urine exosomes containing different peptides were identified and compared. Results: A total of 70 patients were enrolled in the study, and were classified by the interval between surgery and enrollment: 42 patients with < 5 years between surgery and enrollment, 14 patients between 5-10 years, and 14 patients longer than 10 years. No recurrence was observed in any patient during the 2 years after enrollment. No significant differences were found in the levels of serum proteins or urine exosomal peptides between groups, or between intervals. Known risk factors for high-risk thyroid cancer had only a mild correlation with serum protein levels and urine exosomal peptides. Conclusion: Our study revealed the long-term basal fluctuation ranges of serum proteins and urine exosomal peptides in patients with thyroid cancer who underwent thyroidectomy. For high-risk patients after thyroidectomy, concentrations of serum proteins or urine exosomal peptides within the ranges may indicate there is a lower risk of thyroid cancer recurrence during long-term follow-up. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03488134.

Association between CTX-1 and Fibulin-1 Serum Levels with Pathogenesis of Multiple Myeloma Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most prevalent blood cancer after non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is identified by the excessive production of abnormal monoclonal immunoglobulins, which can result in various clinical symptoms such as destructive bone lesions, renal dysfunction, anemia, and immunodeficiency. The current study aims to evaluate the serum levels of carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks 1 (CTX-1), Fibulin-1, vitamin D3, LDH, and albumin in MM patients and their significance for early diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 30 healthy controls (11 males, 19 females) and 60 patients with multiple myeloma (37 males and 23 females), aged between 40-60 years. Five-milliliter blood samples were collected and stored at -20°C. Afterward, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to estimate the concentrations of CTX-1, Fibulin-1, and vitamin D3. Additionally, LDH and albumin levels were determined using the automated biochemistry analyzer. RESULTS: This study revealed that the majority of patients with multiple myeloma are between the ages of 51 and 60 years. The serum concentrations of CTX-1, Fibulin-1, and LDH were significantly increased in the multiple myeloma patients compared to the healthy control group. In contrast, the serum level of vitamin D3 was significantly decreased in patients with MM. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the incidence of multiple myeloma is higher in males than in females. Additionally, the serum concentrations of CTX-1 and Fibulin-1 were significantly higher in the multiple myeloma patients compared to the healthy control group, indicating their potential for early detection and as therapeutic targets.

Long-term second-generation antipsychotics decreases bone formation and resorption in male patients with schizophrenia.

RATIONALE: Patients with schizophrenia with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) treatment have shown an increased risk of bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture; however, it is still unclear whether this risk is derived from the effect of antipsychotics on balance of bone metabolism. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the changes of two bone turnover biomarkers (BTMs) concentrations in people with schizophrenia receiving SGAs: procollagen type I aminoterminal propeptide (PINP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-1) as BTMs of osteogenesis and bone resorption, respectively, to explore how antipsychotics contribute to bone fragility. METHODS: We recruited 59 Chinese male patients with schizophrenia (32 drug-naïve first-episode (DNFE) patients and 27 chronic patients) to undergo 8 weeks SGAs treatment. Fasting peripheral blood samples of pre- and posttreatment were collected, plasma levels of PINP and CTX-1 were measured. RESULTS: The interaction effects of group and time on PINP and CTX-1 concentrations were found (P = .016 and P = .008). There was a significant decrease for both BTMs concentrations of the posttreatment compared to the pretreatment (P<.001 and P = .003). Chronic patients had significantly higher changes of BTMs concentrations compared to DNFE patients (P = .048 and P = .024). There was a positive correlation of the two BTMs of pretreatment with disease course in DNFE group (r = .37, P = .039;r = .38, P = .035) and a negative correlation of PINP of pretreatment with age in the chronic group (r=-.40, P = .039). CONCLUSION: Long-term SGAs medication inhibited osteogenesis in a dose- and time-dependent manner and damaged the balance of bone formation and bone resorption.

C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide levels in COVID-19 patients: A prospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a viral infection mediated by coronavirus-2 that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). The disease may affect biochemical parameters and electrolytes. C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide (CTX-I) is released during mature bone resorption and is a biomarker for predicting bone resorption. OBJECTIVES: As the pandemic progressed, understanding the effects of COVID-19 disease remained critical. Inflammatory responses triggered by the virus can result in a bone metabolism regulation imbalance. As such, this study aimed to analyze serum levels of CTX-I, calcium (CA), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), C-reactive protein (CRP), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in COVID-19 patients to investigate the relationship between bone resorption and the disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 56 individuals with COVID-19 (divided into mild, moderate and severe subgroups depending on disease severity) and 25 healthy adults as a control group. Serum CTX-I concentrations were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, CRP, Ca, Mg, P, and ALP levels were measured using an automated clinical chemistry analyzer. RESULTS: Serum CTX-I levels were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients than in the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a positive weak relationship was detected between CRP and CTX-I (r = 0.303, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased serum CTX-I levels in the patient group caused COVID-19-driven bone degradation, though serum CTX-I levels did not differ according to disease severity.

Serologic Response to the Epstein-Barr Virus Peptidome and the Risk for Multiple Sclerosis.

Importance: It remains unclear why only a small proportion of individuals infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) develop multiple sclerosis (MS) and what the underlying mechanisms are. Objective: To assess the serologic response to all EBV peptides before the first symptoms of MS occur, determine whether the disease is associated with a distinct immune response to EBV, and evaluate whether specific EBV epitopes drive this response. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this prospective, nested case-control study, individuals were selected among US military personnel with serum samples stored in the US Department of Defense Serum Repository. Individuals with MS had serum collected at a median 1 year before onset (reported to the military in 2000-2011) and were matched to controls for age, sex, race and ethnicity, blood collection, and military branch. No individuals were excluded. The data were analyzed between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023. Exposure: Antibodies (enrichment z scores) to the human virome measured using VirScan (phage-displayed immunoprecipitation and sequencing). Main Outcome and Measure: Rate ratios (RRs) for MS for antibodies to 2263 EBV peptides (the EBV peptidome) were estimated using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for total anti-EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) antibodies, which have consistently been associated with a higher MS risk. The role of antibodies against other viral peptides was also explored. Results: A total of 30 individuals with MS were matched with 30 controls. Mean (SD) age at sample collection was 27.8 (6.5) years; 46 of 60 participants (76.7%) were male. The antibody response to the EBV peptidome was stronger in individuals with MS, but without a discernible pattern. The antibody responses to 66 EBV peptides, the majority mapping to EBNA antigens, were significantly higher in preonset sera from individuals with MS (RR of highest vs lowest tertile of antibody enrichment, 33.4; 95% CI, 2.5-448.4; P for trend = .008). Higher total anti-EBNA-1 antibodies were also associated with an elevated MS risk (top vs bottom tertile: RR, 27.6; 95% CI, 2.3-327.6; P for trend = .008). After adjusting for total anti-EBNA-1 antibodies, risk estimates from most EBV peptides analyses were attenuated, with 4 remaining significantly associated with MS, the strongest within EBNA-6/EBNA-3C, while the association between total anti-EBNA-1 antibodies and MS persisted. Conclusion and Relevance: These findings suggest that antibody response to EBNA-1 may be the strongest serologic risk factor for MS. No single EBV peptide stood out as being selectively targeted in individuals with MS but not controls. Larger investigations are needed to explore possible heterogeneity of anti-EBV humoral immunity in MS.

Use of Nonhuman Sera as a Highly Cost-Effective Internal Standard for Quantitation of Multiple Human Proteins Using Species-Specific Tryptic Peptides: Applicability in Clinical LC-MS Analyses.

Quantitation of proteins using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is complex, with a multiplicity of options ranging from label-free techniques to chemically and metabolically labeling proteins. Increasingly, for clinically relevant analyses, stable isotope-labeled (SIL) internal standards (ISs) represent the "gold standard" for quantitation due to their similar physiochemical properties to the analyte, wide availability, and ability to multiplex to several peptides. However, the purchase of SIL-ISs is a resource-intensive step in terms of cost and time, particularly for screening putative biomarker panels of hundreds of proteins. We demonstrate an alternative strategy utilizing nonhuman sera as the IS for quantitation of multiple human proteins. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this strategy using two high abundance clinically relevant analytes, vitamin D binding protein [Gc globulin] (DBP) and albumin (ALB). We extend this to three putative risk markers for cardiovascular disease: plasma protease C1 inhibitor (SERPING1), annexin A1 (ANXA1), and protein kinase, DNA-activated catalytic subunit (PRKDC). The results show highly specific, reproducible, and linear measurement of the proteins of interest with comparable precision and accuracy to the gold standard SIL-IS technique. This approach may not be applicable to every protein, but for many proteins it can offer a cost-effective solution to LC-MS/MS protein quantitation.

Predictors of bone mineral density in patients receiving glucocorticoid replacement for Addison's disease.

PURPOSE: Patients receiving long-term glucocorticoid (GC) treatment are at risk of osteoporosis, while bone effects of substitution doses in Addison's disease (AD) remain equivocal. The project was aimed to evaluate serum bone turnover markers (BTMs): osteocalcin, type I procollagen N-terminal propeptide (PINP), collagen C-terminal telopeptide (CTX), sclerostin, DKK-1 protein, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in relation to bone mineral density (BMD) during GC replacement. METHODS: Serum BTMs and hormones were assessed in 80 patients with AD (22 males, 25 pre- and 33 postmenopausal females) on hydrocortisone (HC) substitution for ≥3 years. Densitometry with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry covered the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). RESULTS: Among BTMs, only PINP levels were altered in AD. BMD Z-scores remained negative except for FN in males. Considering T-scores, osteopenia was found in LS in 45.5% males, 24% young and 42.4% postmenopausal females, while osteoporosis in 9.0%, 4.0% and 21.1%, respectively. Lumbar BMD correlated positively with body mass (p = 0.0001) and serum DHEA-S (p = 9.899 × 10-6). Negative correlation was detected with HC dose/day/kg (p = 0.0320), cumulative HC dose (p = 0.0030), patient's age (p = 1.038 × 10-5), disease duration (p = 0.0004), ALP activity (p = 0.0041) and CTX level (p = 0.0105). However, only age, body mass, ALP, serum CTX, and sclerostin remained independent predictors of LS BMD. CONCLUSION: Standard HC substitution does not considerably accelerate BMD loss in AD patients and their serum BTMs: CTX, osteocalcin, sclerostin, DKK-1, and ALP activity remain within the reference ranges. Independent predictors of low lumbar spine BMD, especially ALP activity, serum CTX and sclerostin, might be monitored during GC substitution.