Search

Proteomics, the simultaneous study of all proteins in a given cell, tissue or organism, is an innovative approach used to identify novel markers for diagnosis, prognosis and the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with diseases. Proteomic methodologies have been used in a variety of contexts such as investigating changes in protein abundance that may occur with disease presence, the response to therapeutic treatments as well as the impacts of age on the plasma proteome.Over the last decade, significant technological advancements in proteomic techniques have resulted in an increase in the use of proteomics in thrombosis and hemostasis research, particularly in order to identify relevant and novel clinical markers associated with bleeding and thrombosis. This mini-review explores the use of proteomics in the setting of thrombosis and hemostasis from 2010-2020, across five main domains (platelets, blood clot composition, stroke, venous thromboembolism, and therapeutics), as well as provides insights into key considerations for conducting proteomic studies.

Over the last decade, the use of proteomics in the setting of prematurity has increased and has enabled researchers to successfully identify biomarkers for an array of associated morbidities. The objective of this scoping review was to identify the existing literature, as well as any knowledge gaps related to proteomic biomarker discoveries in the setting of prematurity. A scoping review was conducted using PubMed, Embase and Medline databases following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. The study selection process yielded a total of 700 records, of which 13 studies were included in this review. Most studies used a tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS) proteomics approach to identify key biomarkers. The corresponding studies identified proteins associated with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), late onset sepsis (LOS) and gestational age. This scoping review demonstrates the limited use of proteomics to identify biomarkers associated with severe complications of prematurity. Further research is warranted to identify biomarkers of other important morbidities associated with prematurity, such as intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and cerebral palsy, and to investigate the mechanisms associated with these outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by dysglycaemia. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major complication among T1DM patients and the leading cause of mortality later in life. METHODS: The study subjects consisted of T1DM children with poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 7.5%) and healthy age and gender matched controls. Venous blood samples were collected and tested by utilizing a novel immunoassay panel with 96 protein biomarkers. Data were analyzed using non-linear regression analysis and the expression of biomarkers was compared between T1DM and healthy control groups using an unpaired student's t-test. Dynamic principal component analysis (PCA) was operated based on the differentially expressed proteins. RESULTS: Ten T1DM children and 10 healthy controls were analyzed. Twelve CVD markers show significant differential expression between T1DM patients and healthy controls (p

Bivalirudin is a reversible direct thrombin inhibitor that inhibits both bound and free thrombin and binds to the active (catalytic) and fibrinogen-binding sites of thrombin, with high affinity and specificity. Off-label use of bivalirudin in the paediatric population has increased, as an alternative to heparin, particularly in the setting of anticoagulation for patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery (CPB), extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and those on ventricular assist devices (VAD). This study aimed to determine the age-specific in vitro effect of bivalirudin in children compared to adults. Age-specific pools (neonates, ≤2 years,2 to 5 years, 6 to 10 years, 11 to 17 years and Adults) were prepared using platelet poor plasma samples from 20 individuals per age group. Pooled plasma was spiked with increasing concentrations of Bivalirudin (from 0 g/mL to 10μg/mL), and thrombin inhibition was measured using standard coagulation assays. There was a significantly increased response to bivalirudin across all paediatric age groups as compared to adults. The age-specific difference in response to bivalirudin was specifically evident in neonates, where the potential to generate thrombin was decreased 2-fold compared to adults (p 0.001). Our findings support the concept of age-specific pharmaco-dynamic responses to Bivalirudin and support the need for further ex vivo studies in hospitalised children to determine accurate clinical dosing recommendations.