title: A distinctive molecular signature of multiple sclerosis derived from MALDI-TOF/MS and serum proteomic pattern analysis: detection of three biomarkers.
abstract: Although multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disorder, serological testing to aid in its diagnosis has not been developed. To test the hypothesis that the pathological changes in MS can be detected by analyzing a molecular signature of serum proteomic patterns, we tested sera from 25 newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS patients and 25 healthy controls with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, following albumin depletion and desalting. Analysis of MALDI-TOF/mass spectrometry data, using proteomic spectral pattern recognition software, revealed a distinct proteomic pattern in the MS group determined by 3 biomarkers at 8687, 8773, and 8818 mass-to-charge ratios. Although our data are representative of analysis on a small number of samples and are preliminary, we conclude that MALDI-TOF/mass spectrometry, in combination with serum proteomic pattern analysis, could be useful in the diagnosis of MS, and a larger, masked trial to identify proteomic spectral patterns characteristic of relapsing-remitting, primary progressive and secondary progressive variants of MS is justified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. jagan@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Jagannadha R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Avasarala
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.forename: Gershon M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Wolfe
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D020543:Proteome