title: Screening and identification of potential predictive biomarkers for Down's syndrome from second trimester maternal serum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aimed to search for noninvasive predictive biomarkers for prenatal diagnosis of Down's syndrome (DS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal serum samples from five DS-affected pregnant women and five DS-unaffected women were analyzed by 2D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to screen for potential predictive biomarkers of DS. Then, differential levels of dGTPase, β2-glycoprotein I (β2-GPI), complement factor H-related protein 1 precursor (CFHR1) and kininogen 1 isoform 2 were further verified by western blotting tests in another independent group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis results revealed 29 protein spots whose levels differed significantly in the DS-affected pregnancies group. Of these, the eight most differentially expressed in DP were identified successfully. Among these, levels of dGTPase, CFHR1 and kininogen 1 were elevated significantly, whereas β2-GPI was reduced in DP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminarily verified proteins might serve as potential predictive biomarkers for DS-affected pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Yuchen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yonghu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003180:Complement C3b Inactivator Proteins; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007704:Kininogens / Q000097:blood; D062145:Maternal Serum Screening Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood*; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C517621:CFHR1 protein, human; D003180:Complement C3b Inactivator Proteins; D007704:Kininogens; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I
keywords: Down’s syndrome; biomarker; maternal serum; prenatal screening; proteomics