title: Proteomic profiling of posterior longitudinal ligament of cervical spine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify putative biomarkers for ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Proteomic analysis was performed in 4 ligament samples from OPLL patients and healthy controls. RT-PCR was used to further verify the proteomic analysis results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 50 differentially expressed spots were detected in 2-D electrophoresis between the two groups. In protein/peptide analysis, 21 proteins or peptides were finally identified. Besides 13 hematic proteins and 2 unknown proteins, 6 other proteins were differentially expressed. Among them, carbonic anhydrase I, NAD(P) dependent steroid dehydrogenase-like, billiverdin reductase B and alpha-1 collagen VI were down-regulated, while osteoglycin and nebulin-related anchoring protein were up-regulated. The results of NAD(P) dependent steroid dehydrogenase-like, alpha-1 collagen VI and nebulin-related anchoring protein were validated by RT-PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These differentially expressed proteins could play a role in the onset and progression of OPLL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital Shanghai 200003, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Daqing Peopele's Hospital Daqing 163316, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Baifeng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: 2-dimensionl electrophoresis; Ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament; biomarker; diagnosis