Abstract
Background: In asthma, clinical measures like FEV1 are a poor surrogate for detection of sub-groups and disease progression, and more efficient screening methods are needed. The PExA method (particles in exhaled air) non-invasively counts and collects exhaled particles, which reflect the composition of the fluid lining the peripheral airways and contains possible information about lung status. Collected particle mass is in the ng range and currently only single protein analysis is carried out routinely. The pilot study aimed to investigate Multiplex technology for simultaneous analysis of acute-phase proteins in exhaled particles.
Method: Particles were collected during 30 minutes from two groups:
Population 1: 12 healthy volunteers.
Population 2: 6 subjects with asthma and 6 age-matched controls.
Albumin, fibronectin, fibrinogen, SAP, A2M, CRP, haptoglobin and AGP were analysed using two Multiplex-kits (MILLIPLEX® SKINMAG-50K, MILLIPLEX® HCVD3-67K).
Results: Albumin, fibrinogen, fibronectin, haptoglobin and AGP could be quantified in the majority of samples (>60%) and A2M in 7 samples, all regardless of subject's health status. CRP and SAP were detected in one asthmatic and one control, respectively. Median particle mass collected in Population 1 was 340 ng (143-739). In Population 2, sampled mass in asthmatics (median 295 ng, 116-430) was significantly decreased compared to controls (median 535 ng, 234-1060) (P<0.05 Mann-Whitney).
Conclusion: Multiplex technology can improve analysis possibilities by facilitating simultaneous quantification of multiple proteins in exhaled particles. Asthma may lead to a decrease in exhaled particles and less sample material.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016
