Do fragments and glycosylated isoforms of alpha-1-antitrypsin in CSF mirror spinal pathophysiological mechanisms in chronic peripheral neuropathic pain? An exploratory, discovery phase study.

BACKGROUND: Post-translational modifications (PTMs) generate a tremendous protein diversity from the ~ 20,000 protein-coding genes of the human genome. In chronic pain conditions, exposure to pathological processes in the central nervous system could lead to disease-specific PTMs detectable in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In a previous hypothesis-generating study, we reported that seven out of 260 CSF proteins highly discriminated between neuropathic pain patients and healthy controls: one isoform of angiotensinogen (AG), two isoforms of alpha-1-antitrypsin (AT), three isoforms of haptoglobin (HG), and one isoform of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). The present study had three aims: (1) To examine the multivariate inter-correlations between all identified isoforms of these seven proteins; (2) Based on the results of the first aim, to characterize PTMs in a subset of interesting proteins; (3) To regress clinical pain data using the 260 proteins as predictors, thereby testing the hypothesis that the above-mentioned seven discriminating proteins and/or the characterized isoforms/fragments of aim (2) would be among the proteins having the highest predictive power for clinical pain data. METHODS: CSF samples from 11 neuropathic pain patients and 11 healthy controls were used for biochemical analysis of protein isoforms. PTM characterization was performed using enzymatic reaction assay and mass spectrometry. Multivariate data analysis (principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least square regression) was applied on the quantified protein isoforms. RESULTS: We identified 5 isoforms of AG, 18 isoforms of AT, 5 isoforms of HG, and 5 isoforms of PEDF. Fragments and glycosylated isoforms of AT were studied in depth. When regressing the pain intensity data of patients, three isoforms of AT, two isoforms of PEDF, and one isoform of angiotensinogen "reappeared" as major results, i.e., they were major findings both when comparing patients with healthy controls and when regressing pain intensity in patients. CONCLUSIONS: Altered levels of fragments and/or glycosylated isoforms of alpha-1-antitrypsin might mirror pathophysiological processes in the spinal cord of neuropathic pain patients. In particular, we suggest that a putative disease-specific combination of the levels of two different N-truncated fragments of alpha-1-antitrypsin might be interesting for future CSF and/or plasma biomarker investigations in chronic neuropathic pain.

Downregulation of Apolipoprotein-E and Apolipoprotein-J in Moyamoya Disease-A Proteome Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Genetic factors are closely involved in the etiology of moyamoya disease (MMD). However, its postgenomic mechanisms are still unknown. This study was aimed to identify specific biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with MMD, using quantitative proteome technique. METHODS: This study included 10 patients with MMD and 4 controls. The CSF was collected without blood contamination during surgery. A comparative 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis study (2D-PAGE) was performed. Protein spots that showed significant differences between moyamoya patients and controls were selected for further analysis by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: On 2D-PAGE, 2 proteins were significantly upregulated, and 2 other proteins were downregulated in the CSF of MMD. Further mass spectrometry analysis revealed that haptoglobin and α-1-B-glycoprotein (A1BG) were upregulated. On the other hand, apolipoprotein-E (apoE), apoE precursor, and apolipoprotein-J (apoJ) were significantly downregulated in the CSF of MMD. The observed probability-based MOWSE score was 72 for haptoglobin (P <.05), 521 for A1BG (P <.05), 62 for apoE (P <.05), 72 for apoE precursor (P <.05), and 112 for apoJ (P <.05). CONCLUSION: Although the role of A1BG in the central nervous system is still unknown, the overexpressed haptoglobin may indicate the inflammation and/or angiogenesis in MMD. The downregulation of apoE and apoJ strongly suggests a critical role of lipid metabolism in the development and progression of MMD. These proteins may be novel biomarkers in shedding light on the pathogenesis of MMD, although further studies would be warranted.

Acute Phase Proteins in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Dogs with Naturally-Occurring Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects thousands of people each year and there are no treatments that dramatically improve clinical outcome. Canine intervertebral disc herniation is a naturally-occurring SCI that has similarities to human injury and can be used as a translational model for evaluating therapeutic interventions. Here, we characterized cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) acute phase proteins (APPs) that have altered expression across a spectrum of neurological disorders, using this canine model system. The concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), alpha-1-glycoprotein, and serum amyloid A were determined in the CSF of 42 acutely injured dogs, compared with 21 healthy control dogs. Concentrations of APPs also were examined with respect to initial injury severity and motor outcome 42 d post-injury. Hp concentration was significantly higher (p<0.0001) in the CSF of affected dogs, compared with healthy control dogs. Additionally, the concentrations of CRP and Hp were significantly (p=0.0001 and p=0.0079, respectively) and positively associated with CSF total protein concentration. The concentrations of CRP and Hp were significantly higher (p=0.0071 and p=0.0197, respectively) in dogs with severe injury, compared with those with mild-to-moderate SCI, but there was no significant correlation between assessed CSF APP concentrations and 42 d motor outcome. This study demonstrated that CSF APPs were dysregulated in dogs with naturally-occurring SCI and could be used as markers for SCI severity. As Hp was increased following severe SCI and is neuroprotective across a number of model systems, it may represent a viable therapeutic target.

Haemoglobin scavenging after subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Rapid and effective clearance of cell-free haemoglobin after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is important to prevent vasospasm and neurotoxicity and improve long-term outcome. Haemoglobin is avidly bound by haptoglobin, and the complex is cleared by CD163 expressed on the membrane surface of macrophages. We studied the kinetics of haemoglobin and haptoglobin in cerebrospinal fluid after SAH. We show that haemoglobin levels rise gradually after SAH. Haptoglobin levels rise acutely with aneurysmal rupture as a result of injection of blood into the subarachnoid space. Although levels decline as haemoglobin scavenging occurs, complete depletion of haptoglobin does not occur and levels start rising again, indicating saturation of CD163 sites available for haptoglobin-haemoglobin clearance. In a preliminary neuropathological study we demonstrate that meningeal CD163 expression is upregulated after SAH, in keeping with a proinflammatory state. However, loss of CD163 occurs in meningeal areas with overlying blood compared with areas without overlying blood. Becauses ADAM17 is the enzyme responsible for shedding membrane-bound CD163, its inhibition may be a potential therapeutic strategy after SAH.

The chaperone protein clusterin may serve as a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker for chronic spinal cord disorders in the dog.

Chronic spinal cord dysfunction occurs in dogs as a consequence of diverse aetiologies, including long-standing spinal cord compression and insidious neurodegenerative conditions. One such neurodegenerative condition is canine degenerative myelopathy (DM), which clinically is a challenge to differentiate from other chronic spinal cord conditions. Although the clinical diagnosis of DM can be strengthened by the identification of the Sod1 mutations that are observed in affected dogs, genetic analysis alone is insufficient to provide a definitive diagnosis. There is a requirement to identify biomarkers that can differentiate conditions with a similar clinical presentation, thus facilitating patient diagnostic and management strategies. A comparison of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein gel electrophoresis profile between idiopathic epilepsy (IE) and DM identified a protein band that was more prominent in DM. This band was subsequently found to contain a multifunctional protein clusterin (apolipoprotein J) that is protective against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis, oxidative stress, and also serves as an extracellular chaperone influencing protein aggregation. Western blot analysis of CSF clusterin confirmed elevated levels in DM compared to IE (p < 0.05). Analysis of spinal cord tissue from DM and control material found that clusterin expression was evident in neurons and that the clusterin mRNA levels from tissue extracts were elevated in DM compared to the control. The plasma clusterin levels was comparable between these groups. However, a comparison of clusterin CSF levels in a number of neurological conditions found that clusterin was elevated in both DM and chronic intervertebral disc disease (cIVDD) but not in meningoencephalitis and IE. These findings indicate that clusterin may potentially serve as a marker for chronic spinal cord disease in the dog; however, additional markers are required to differentiate DM from a concurrent condition such as cIVDD.

Analyses of haptoglobin level in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum of patients with neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO), which was previously considered a variant of multiple sclerosis (MS), is characterized by recurrent optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions. It has been shown that the level of haptoglobin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is elevated in NMO. However, it is uncertain whether this change is specific to NMO, or is also seen in MS and other neurological diseases. METHODS: We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the haptoglobin levels in the CSF and serum in 25 NMO, 16 MS, and 15 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 22 controls. RESULTS: The CSF haptoglobin concentration of the NMO patients (0.309±0.074mg/dl, P<0.001) was significantly higher than that of MS patients (0.081±0.016mg/dl) and AD patients (0.058±0.011mg/dl), and the controls (0.060±0.009mg/dl), whereas the serum haptoglobin and albumin concentrations in the serum and CSF did not differ significantly across groups. NMO patients (0.59±0.15, P=0.001) demonstrated a higher haptoglobin index than MS patients (0.13±0.01), AD patients (0.12±0.03), and the controls (0.17±0.04). Furthermore, the haptoglobin concentration and haptoglobin index in the CSF correlated significantly with the expanded disability scale score (EDSS) in NMO patients. CONCLUSIONS: The high CSF haptoglobin concentration in NMO may be explained by increased intrathecal haptoglobin synthesis. The correlation between CSF haptoglobin concentration/haptoglobin index and EDSS highlights the potential of haptoglobin as a biomarker of NMO.

The intrathecal CD163-haptoglobin-hemoglobin scavenging system in subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Delayed cerebral ischemia resulting from extracellular hemoglobin is an important determinant of outcome in subarachnoid hemorrhage. Hemoglobin is scavenged by the CD163-haptoglobin system in the circulation, but little is known about this scavenging pathway in the human CNS. The components of this system were analyzed in normal cerebrospinal fluid and after subarachnoid hemorrhage. The intrathecal presence of the CD163-haptoglobin-hemoglobin scavenging system was unequivocally demonstrated. The resting capacity of the CD163-haptoglobin-hemoglobin system in the normal CNS was 50 000-fold lower than that of the circulation. After subarachnoid hemorrhage, the intrathecal CD163-haptoglobin-hemoglobin system was saturated, as shown by the presence of extracellular hemoglobin despite detectable haptoglobin. Hemoglobin efflux from the CNS was evident, enabling rescue hemoglobin scavenging by the systemic circulation. Therefore, the CNS is not capable of dealing with significant intrathecal hemolysis. Potential therapeutic options to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia ought to concentrate on augmenting the capacity of the intrathecal CD163-haptoglobin-hemoglobin scavenging system and strategies to encourage hemoglobin efflux from the brain.

Altered cerebrospinal fluid index of prealbumin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

OBJECTIVES: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are autoimmune diseases of the peripheral nervous system. A clinical hallmark of GBS and CIDP is the albumino-cytologic dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Changes in the CSF levels of proteins other than albumin in patients with GBS and CIDP are not as well studied. If altered, aberrant levels of CSF proteins may render it possible to establish useful biomarkers for GBS and CIDP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the levels of prealbumin, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein E, apolipoprotein A4 in both CSF and plasma samples from 19 patients with GBS and eight with CIDP, 24 controls with multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as 20 patients with other non-inflammatory neurological disorders (OND). RESULTS: The levels of prealbumin in both the plasma and the CSF were elevated in patients with GBS and MS compared with the controls. The higher levels of fibrinogen were seen in the CSF of patients with GBS and CIDP, but not in the plasma. The levels of CSF prealbumin and fibrinogen, measured by the CSF index of these proteins, were lower in patients with GBS and that of fibrinogen in patients with CIDP compared with controls with OND. Haptoglobin levels in the CSF rather than in the plasma were higher in patients with GBS and CIDP than in controls. The CSF haptoglobin index was higher in patients with CIDP and MS, but not in those with GBS. No correlation was found between levels of CSF proteins and clinical parameters in patients with GBS and CIDP. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide preliminary evidence that GBS is associated with low CSF index levels of prealbumin and fibrinogen, but normal levels of haptoglobin, whereas CIDP is associated with normal CSF index levels of prealbumin, low fibrinogen, and high levels of haptoglobin. Further studies are needed to identify the underlying mechanisms behind these CSF protein alterations and to clarify whether prealbumin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin can serve as useful biomarkers for GBS and CIDP.

Combined measurement of PEDF, haptoglobin and tau in cerebrospinal fluid improves the diagnostic discrimination between alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

Using proteomic approach in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) we identified pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and Haptoglobin (Hp) as putative markers that could discriminate between AD and other dementias. ELISA assays were developed to measure the levels of PEDF and Hp in CSF from patients with AD (AD, n=27), non-AD (NAD, n=30) and in non-demented patients (ND, n=27). The combined assessment of PEDF, Hp and Tau levels, using Iterative Marginal Optimization, improved the differential diagnosis of AD, especially in patients with moderate to severe dementia (p<0.002). This pilot study highlights the probable different contribution of oxidative mechanisms in dementia.

Increased prothrombin, apolipoprotein A-IV, and haptoglobin in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by an unstable CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion. The need for biomarkers of onset and progression in HD is imperative, since currently reliable outcome measures are lacking. We used two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to analyze the proteome profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 6 pairs of HD patients and controls. Prothrombin, apolipoprotein A-IV (Apo A-IV) and haptoglobin were elevated in CSF of the HD patients in comparison with the controls. We used western blot as a semi-quantified measurement for prothrombin and Apo A-IV, as well as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measurement of haptoglobin, in 9 HD patients and 9 controls. The albumin quotient (Qalb), a marker of blood-brain barrier (BBB) function, was not different between the HD patients and the controls. The ratios of CSF prothrombin/albumin (prothrombin/Alb) and Apo A-IV/albumin (Apo A-IV/Alb), and haptoglobin level were significantly elevated in HD. The ratio of CSF prothrombin/Alb significantly correlated with the disease severity assessed by Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS). The results implicate that increased CSF prothrombin, Apo A-IV, and haptoglobin may be involved in pathogenesis of HD and may serve as potential biomarkers for HD.

Use of haptoglobin and transthyretin as potential biomarkers for the preclinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

We have searched for potential biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma in an animal model of Parkinson's disease induced by inflammatory challenge. To achieve this, either unilateral or bilateral intranigral injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was performed. CSF proteins were first analyzed either by 2D electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF at days 1 and 10 after the lesion to discern between potential prognosis and diagnosis protein markers. Most significant changes from this analysis were early increases of haptoglobin, transthyretin and different spots further identified as prostaglandin D synthase in response to LPS. These markers were then analyzed by western blotting in CSF and plasma using specific antibodies from samples obtained in animals receiving either LPS in substantia nigra or hippocampus and 6-OHDA in the medial forebrain bundle. This analysis confirmed the early increases of haptoglobin and transthyretin in response to intranigral injection of LPS or 6-OHDA in the bundle in plasma and CSF. We discuss the potential use of both biomarkers for the early diagnose of Parkinson's disease.

Proteome analysis of haptoglobin in cerebrospinal fluid of neuromyelitis optica.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease with generally poor prognosis that selectively targets optic nerves and spinal cord. Although diagnostic criteria for NMO are available, there is still a need for biomarkers, predicting disease development and progression to improve individually tailored treatment. CSF proteins were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The interaction between these proteins was further analyzed by Pathway Studio software. Seven protein spots in CSF were significantly altered in NMO patients compared with controls. Identification made by mass spectrometry revealed that the most significant protein was haptoglobin, which was increased in the NMO gels. The subsequent ELISA test were performed to validate it, which confirmed the results of proteomic analysis. Protein network was built, which showed some biological interactions among the seven proteins. These results support a correlation between the level of haptoglobin and NMO. Haptoglobin may be a potential useful biomarker for diagnosis or a medicine target for treatment of NMO.

Both plasma retinol-binding protein and haptoglobin precursor allele 1 in CSF: candidate biomarkers for the progression of normal to mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be of valuable for exploring protein markers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The prospect of early detection and treatment, to slow progression, holds hope for aging populations with increased average lifespan. The aim of the present study was to investigate candidate CSF biological markers in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD and compare them with age-matched normal control subjects. In this report, we applied proteomics approaches to analyze 60 CSF samples derived from patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as MCI and AD. We classified patients by three groups: normal controls without cognitive dysfunction, MCI and AD. The AD group was subdivided into three groups by clinical severity according to clinical dementia rating (CDR), a well known clinical scale for dementia. We demonstrated a gradual decrease or absent of plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP) and haptoglobin precursor allele 1 in CSF from patients with MCI and AD compared to the age-matched normal subjects. Moreover, expression levels of both RBP and haptoglobin precursor allele 1 were observed to be very high in age-matched normal subjects. In contrast, the RBP and haptoglobin precursor allele 1 were much decreased in the MCI group; those expressions were more weak or absent in AD group, and correlated with disease severity and progression. These findings suggest that the CSF levels of both RBP and haptoglobin precursor allele 1 may be candidate biomarkers for the progression of normal to MCI to AD.

Comparative proteomics analysis of cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

To better understand the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), Comparative proteomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) between patients with GBS (the experiment group) and control subjects suffering from other neurological disorders (the control group) was carried out using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) technique, in combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and database searching to determine abnormal CSF proteins in GBS patients. Image analysis of 2-DE gels silver stained revealed that 10 protein spots showed significant differential expression between the two groups of CSF samples. The expression of cystatin C, transthyretin, apolipoprotein E and heat shock protein 70 were decreased. However, haptoglobin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, apolipoprotein A-IV and neurofilaments were elevated. The subsequent ELISA measured the concentration of cystatin C and confirmed the result of the proteomic analysis. These identified proteins may be involved in the pathophysiological process of GBS and call for further studying the role of these proteins in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Proteomic identification of biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid in a rat model of nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration.

We have performed proteomic analysis in the cerebrospinal fluid in an animal model of Parkinson's disease induced by axotomy of the medial forebrain bundle. In this model, the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons was completed in 14 days, with a loss of about 50% dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and a loss of more than 80% dopamine terminals in the striatum, with a similar diminution of dopamine levels in both structures. Proteins were separated by 2D electrophoresis and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF). We found significant increases of haptoglobin and transthyretin along with a decrease of Apo E concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of axotomized animals. Changes for haptoglobin and transthyretin were further confirmed in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma by Western blotting. These results suggest that monitoring plasma levels of these signals appears to be a promising biological marker of neuronal degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system.

Proteomic identification of potential protein markers in cerebrospinal fluid of GBS patients.

Increased protein level in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a characteristic of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an acute inflammatory autoimmune disorder in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease remain poorly understood and so far no reliable disease-related markers are available. By comparing the CSF proteome of GBS patients with control subjects suffering from other neurological disorders, it may be possible to identify proteins that involve in the disease process and thus to study the pathogenesis of GBS. We used two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D DIGE) technique, in combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), to determine the abnormal CSF proteins in GBS patients. Our data showed that the levels of six proteins and their isoforms in CSF were significantly altered in GBS patients compared with controls. Haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A-IV and PRO2044 (unnamed protein) were considerably increased in the CSF of GBS patients, whereas transthyretin, apolipoprotein E and fibrinogen were considerably decreased. We concluded that these six proteins may be involved in the pathogenesis of GBS and call for further studying the role of these proteins in the pathogenesis of the disease.

A gel-based proteomic comparison of human cerebrospinal fluid between inflicted and non-inflicted pediatric traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common cause of traumatic death in infancy, and inflicted TBI (iTBI) is the predominant cause. Like other central nervous system pathologies, TBI changes the composition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which may represent a unique clinical window on brain pathophysiology. Proteomic analysis, including two-dimensional (2-D) difference in gel electrophoresis (DIGE) combined with mass spectrometry (MS), was used to compare the CSF protein profile of two pooled samples from pediatric iTBI (n = 13) and non-inflicted TBI (nTBI; n = 13) patients with severe injury. CSF proteins from iTBI and nTBI were fluorescently labeled in triplicate using different fluorescent Cy dyes and separated by 2-D gel electrophoresis. Approximately 250 protein spots were found in CSF, with 90% between-gel reproducibility of the 2-D gel. Following in-gel digestion, the tryptic peptides were analyzed by MS for protein identification. The acute phase reactant, haptoglobin (HP) isoforms, showed an approximate fourfold increase in nTBI versus iTBI. In contrast, the levels of prostaglandin D(2) synthase (PGDS) and cystatin C (CC) were 12-fold and sevenfold higher in iTBI versus nTBI, respectively. The changes of HP, PGDS, and CC were confirmed by Western blot. These initial results with conventional gel-based proteomics show new protein changes that may ultimately help to understand pathophysiological differences between iTBI and nTBI.

Analysis of potential diagnostic biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus by proteomics.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is unknown, and the syndrome of INPH remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The present study investigated the disease-specific proteins that aid in the diagnosis and treatment of INPH and thus to study their role in the disease process. METHODS: A comparative proteomic analysis was used for clinical screening of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins in 15 patients with INPH and compared with 12 normal subjects. Furthermore, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for comparison with CSF proteins between individual INPH patients and controls. RESULTS: Seven proteins and their isoforms, including leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein (LRG), alpha1-antichymotrypsin, apolipoprotein D, apolipoprotein J, haptoglobin alpha1, serum albumin, and alpha-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor showed significant changes in CSF of INPH patients compared with controls by proteomic analysis. And significant higher CSF levels of LRG in INPH patients compared with controls were found by ELISA. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that there are significant differences in the expression of certain proteins in the CSF of patients with INPH and normal subjects. In particular, the CSF level assay of LRG suggests that LRG is a specific biomarker for INPH and has potential use in the diagnosis and indication for CSF shunting.

Haptoglobins as markers of blood-CSF barrier dysfunction: the findings in normal CSF.

Cerebrospinal fluid from 39 healthy individuals showed evidence for increasing blood-CSF barrier permeability with age, and confirmed that haptoglobins are more sensitive but less predictive markers of barrier permeability than total protein. Haptoglobin (Hp) species were identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting. Hp 1-1 (35 A, 85 kDa) was detected in all (9/9) subjects who exhibited this phenotype. Hp 2-1 (42 A, 120 kDa) was detected in 53% (8/15) of subjects in whom Hp 2-1 was the phenotype. Hp 2-2 (54 A, 160 kDa) was detected in only 20% (3/15) of subjects who exhibited this phenotype. The likelihood of detecting any haptoglobin species corresponded to the molecular size and the consequent resistance offered by the barrier. Among younger subjects aged < or =45 years, a significant difference in incidence occurred between the two smaller species Hp 1-1 and Hp 2-1. However, among those aged >45, the significant difference in incidence was between the two larger species Hp 2-1 and Hp 2-2. The incidence of detection among those with Hp 2-1 phenotypes was higher in the older age group. The increased likelihood of detecting haptoglobins with age is in keeping with the notion that barrier function is compromised by age, and also indicates that Hp 2-1 and Hp 2-2 are sensitive markers of barrier function. The appreciable incidence of haptoglobins in normal CSF, even of the larger species, suggests reservation in assuming that their presence signifies barrier damage.

[Haptoglobin in cerebrospinal fluid as a marker of infectious process in central nervous system]. / Haptoglobina en líquido cefalorraquídeo como marcador de procesos infecciosos en el sistema nervioso central.

INTRODUCTION: Haptoglobin is a transport protein and protects organism against iron loss and it should be involved in central nervous system infectious process. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Simultaneous serum and cerebrospinal fluid were obtained of 39 pediatric patients, 14 suffering from viral meningoencephalitis and 25 from bacterial meningoencephalitis. Five control cases were examined too. Haptoglobin, IgG and albumin were quantified in both fluids by radial immunodiffusion. Haptoglobin cerebrospinal fluid/serum ratio, haptoglobin index and haptoglobin/IgG index were calculated. Local IgG intrathecal synthesis was determined by reibergram. RESULTS: Haptoglobin index was higher not statistically significant in viral meningoencephalitis in comparison with bacterial disease but both were statistically significant with respect to control group. Increased haptoglobin/IgG index were statistically significant in bacterial meningoencephalitis in relation with viral meningoencephalitis. There were no association between haptoglobin and polymorphonuclear cells count and globular sediment speed. CONCLUSION: Haptoglobin should be considered a relevant marker of central nervous system infectious process.