Decreased plasma gelsolin concentrations in acute liver failure, myocardial infarction, septic shock, and myonecrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To quantitate gelsolin concentrations in serum of patients with a variety of conditions involving actin release into the circulation.


METHODS
Prospective evaluation of sera on consecutive patients.


METHODS
Metropolitan county hospital.


METHODS
Ninety hospital patients with a variety of well-characterized diseases.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Sera were studied from patients with acute liver failure (n = 18), chronic hepatitis (n = 17), cirrhosis of varying etiology (n = 17), pancreatitis (n = 10), acute myocardial infarction (n = 10), myonecrosis due either to polymyositis or crush injuries (n = 12), and septic shock (n = 6); results were compared with sera from healthy individuals (n = 25). Gelsolin was quantified by Western blotting with monoclonal anti-gelsolin and laser densitometry. Significant reductions in mean gelsolin concentrations compared with healthy controls were observed in patients with acute liver failure (47%), myocardial infarction (69%), sepsis (51%), and myonecrosis (66%). An inverse correlation was observed between gelsolin concentration and severity of illness, as indicated by the magnitude of serum enzyme concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Gelsolin depletion occurs in a variety of tissue injury syndromes. Depletion of actin-scavenger capacity in the presence of continued actin release may affect outcome in situations of severe organ damage.
Suhler
E
E
Liver Unit, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, USA.
Lin
W
W
Yin
H L
HL
Lee
W M
WM
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D018260:Gelsolin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000097:blood*; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000097:blood; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood*; D009336:Necrosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood*
D000199:Actins; D018260:Gelsolin