RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Novel protein biomarkers of bronchiectasis in children with cystic fibrosis JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP P1960 VO 44 IS Suppl 58 A1 Emily DeBoer A1 Miranda Kroehl A1 Brandie Wagner A1 Malti Nikrad A1 Evaldas Katilius A1 Scott Sagel A1 Robin Deterding YR 2014 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P1960.abstract AB Introduction: Neutrophil elastase (NE) activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) is associated with early bronchiectasis in children with cystic fibrosis (CF); however, the pathophysiology of bronchiectasis remains unclear.Aims and objectives: We hypothesize that other proteins in BALF are involved in CF bronchiectasis. We assessed the relationships between BALF proteins from CF children and airway count, a surrogate of bronchiectasis on chest CT (DeBoer E.M. et al. Chest; In press).Methods: CF children with a chest CT scan within 2 months of BALF collection were included in this study. Banked BALF was analyzed for 1129 proteins using SOMAmerTM, (Slow Off-rate Modified Aptamers) proteomic technology (Gold L. et al. PLoS one 2010; 5:e15004). Airway count was obtained using automated software. Spirometry data was recorded. A Spearman's rank correlation coefficient estimated the correlation between spirometry, protein quantity, and mean airway count. The proteins were ranked by magnitude of the correlation coefficient.Results: 22 subjects (15 male) had a quality CT for analysis; age: 4 -20 years, FEV1: 32 -139% predicted, and airway count: 0.3 –52 airways per CT slice. 82 proteins, including NE (r = 0.47, p = 0.03), were significantly correlated with airway count (p < 0.05), without adjustment for multiple comparisons. Of these proteins, 43, including other proteases and antiproteases, were more strongly correlated with airway count than NE.Conclusions: The unique SOMAmerTM protemic platform identifies several novel proteins that are associated with bronchiectasis that could serve as clinically useful biomarkers in children with CF.