Plasma Proteomic Signatures in Early Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive airflow limitation and abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to inhaled noxious particles or gases. We used a proteomic approach with 2-DE followed by MALDI TOF-MS analyses in order to identify potential biomarkers in the early stages of the disease: global initiative for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (GOLD) stage mild and moderate. Experimental design: Blood plasma was collected from 43 patients with mild and moderate COPD as well as from 43 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Proteome analysis was based on 2D-Page followed by MALDI-TOF MS identifications. Validation was made on two significant proteins by western blotting. Results: The analyses revealed 29 between-group differences in expressed spots, belonging to 20 unique proteins. These proteins are involved in inflammation (haptoglobin, Ig alpha-1 chain C), blood coagulation and complement pathways (prothrombin, complement 4-B, ApoH), oxidative stress (ceruloplasmin, vitamin D binding protein, and serotransferrin), and lipoprotein/lipid metabolism (apolipoprotein A-I, and apolipoprotein E). Conclusion and clinical relevance: These results indicate that specific proteomic signatures can be detected and useful in terms of treatment selection and in early COPD patient monitoring.