Peptidome Analysis Reveals Novel Serum Biomarkers for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in China
PROTEOMICS CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
Authors: Yang, Juan; Chen, Yanni; Xiong, Xiaofan; Zhou, Xiaobo; Han, Lin; Ni, Lei; Wang, Wenjing; Wang, Xiaofei; Zhao, Lingyu; Shao, Dongdong; Huang, Chen
Abstract
PurposeAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that begins early in childhood and lasts throughout one's life. Early diagnosis is essential for ASD since early treatment can enable children with ASD to make significant gains in language and social skills, but remains challenging since there are currently no specific biomarkers of ASD. This study is aimed to identify serum biomarkers for ASD. Experimental designSerum of Han Chinese children with ASD (n=68) and age-matched healthy controls (n=80) is analyzed using magnetic bead-based separation combined with mass spectrum. ResultsEight potential ASD serum biomarker peaks (m/z: 3886.69, 7775.12, 2381.71, 6638.63, 3319.17, 894.34, 4968.59, and 5910.53) with higher expression in ASD group are further identified as peptide regions of plasma serine protease inhibitor precursor (SERPINA5), platelet factor 4 (PF4), fatty acid binding protein 1(FABP1), apolipoprotein C-I precursor (APOC1), alpha-fetoprotein precursor (AFP), carboxypeptidase B2 (CPB2), trace amine-associated receptor 6 (TAAR6), and isoform1 of fibrinogen alpha chain precursor (FGA). The expression of identified proteins is validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Conclusions and medical relevanceThese findings reveal the exceptional disease etiology of ASD from a serum proteomic perspective, and the identified proteins might be potential biomarkers for ASD diagnosis.
Atypical cpb2 genes, encoding beta2-toxin in Clostridium perfringens isolates of nonporcine origin
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
Authors: Jost, BH; Billington, SJ; Trinh, HT; Bueschel, DM; Songer, JG
Abstract
Beta2-toxin, encoded by cpb2, is implicated in the pathogenesis of Clostridium perfringens enteritis. However, cpb2 genes from nonporcine C. perfringens isolates were not always expressed, at least in vitro. Nucleotide sequencing identified atypical cpb2 genes with 70.2 to 70.7% DNA identity to previously identified (consensus) cpb2. Atypical beta2-toxin displayed 62.3% identity and 80.4% similarity to consensus beta2-toxin. No porcine type C isolates (n = 16) and only 3.3% of porcine type A isolates (n = 60) carried atypical cpb2 genes. However, 88.5% of nonporcine isolates carried atypical cpb2 (n = 78), but beta2-toxin was not expressed. Almost half of the nonporcine consensus cpb2 genes (44.4%) carried a frameshift mutation (n = 9), resulting in an absence of beta2-toxin expression. These findings strengthen the role of beta2-toxin in the pathogenesis of enteritis in neonatal pigs. However, the identification of apparently nonexpressed, atypical cpb2 genes raises the question of whether this protein plays the same role in enteritis in other animal species.