Proteomic study of plasma proteins in pregnant women with asthma.
OBJECTIVE
The course of asthma may be altered during pregnancy with at least one-third of women experiencing a worsening of asthma and 20% having an exacerbation during pregnancy. This study used the novel proteomic technique, surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry to determine if the presence of asthma during pregnancy was associated with alterations in plasma proteins.


METHODS
Plasma collected from healthy (n = 23) and asthmatic (n = 27) pregnant women at 18 and 30 weeks gestation was applied to strong anion exchange (SAX2), weak cation exchange (WCX2) and immobilized metal affinity capture (IMAC-Cu(2+)) chips. Mass analysis was conducted using Ciphergen Protein Biology System IIc and significant differences in individual peak intensities between groups determined.


RESULTS
At 18 weeks gestation, 91 peaks were significantly different between pregnant women with and without asthma, representing 28% of the total peaks identified. At 30 weeks gestation, 51 peaks were significantly different. There were two peaks that were significantly different between groups at both 18 and 30 weeks gestation and expressed at a similar level at both time points. One was increased in asthmatics (MW = 6444 Da) whereas the other decreased in asthmatics compared with non-asthmatic women (MW = 1846 Da).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that there are differences in protein patterns between pregnant women with and without asthma. Other techniques are needed to define the molecular species and classify pathophysiological significance. Surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry has potential as a tool to monitor disease progression in situations such as pregnancy.
Murphy
Vanessa E
VE
Mothers and Babies Research Centre, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NWS, Australia.
Johnson
Renee F
RF
Wang
Yung-Chih
YC
Akinsanya
Karen
K
Gibson
Peter G
PG
Smith
Roger
R
Clifton
Vicki L
VL
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D040081:Protein Array Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D040901:Proteomics; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins