Summary
We tested the hypothesis that differences in the low-molecularweight (500–20,000 Da)
proteomic profile of plasma may be detectable between members ofa protein C-deficient
family who have suffered thrombotic events before age 40 compared to family members
without a history of venous thrombosis. Unfractionated plasma samples from members
of a previously described large thrombophilic kindred with type I protein C deficiency
were applied to ProteinChip weak cation exchange interaction arrays (WCX2; Ciphergen
Biosystems, Fremont, CA, USA) and subjected to SELDI-TOF (surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization
time-of-flight) mass spectrometry using the Ciphergen PBSII ProteinChip System (Ciphergen
Biosystems). Profiles were analyzed by a boosted decision-tree algorithm. When individuals
who had presented with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) before the age of 40 (n=21) were
compared to age-matched, healthy family members (n=50), the proteomic patterns defined
by the decision-tree analysis could classify the entity of DVT before age 40 with
67% sensitivity, ata specificity of 86%.Whena small group of cases with history of
superficial venous thrombosis (n=6) was added to the case group, the sensitivity was
87.5% at a specificity of 80%.These data support the hypothesis that members of the
protein C deficient Vermont kindred II who suffer a thrombotic event before age 40
display significant differences in low-molecular-weight proteomics profile compared
to those who remain disease-free.This is the first study to apply SELDI-TOF technology
in conjunction with a bioinformatics tool to analyze low-molecular-weight proteomic
patterns in patients with venous thrombosis.
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Keywords
Venous thrombosis - SELDI-TOF - mass spectrometry - proteomics - protein C deficiency