Rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory
disease associated with a high index of morbidity and mortality from
cardiovascular diseases. We used 1H NMR to characterize
the plasma glycoprotein and lipoprotein profiles of a cohort of patients
with RA (n = 210) versus healthy individuals (n = 203) to associate them with the RA disease and its severity.
Using 1H NMR, we developed a line-shape method to characterize
the two peaks associated with glycoproteins (GlycA and GlycB) and
its derived variables: areas of GlycB (Area GlycB) and GlycA (Area
GlycA), shape factors of these two peaks (H/W = height/width), and
the distance between them (Distance GlycB–GlycA). We also used
the advanced lipoprotein test Liposcale (CE) to characterize the lipoprotein
subclasses. The standard lipid panel and traditional inflammatory
markers such as C-reactive protein, the erythrocyte sedimentation
rate, fibrinogen, the rheumatoid factor, anticitrullinated peptide
antibodies, and the DAS28 index have also been determined. RA patients
presented a significant 10.65% increase in the GlycA associated area
compared with the control group (p = 2.21 ×
10–10). They also presented significantly higher
H/W GlycA and GlycB ratios than the control population (H/W GlycB p = 7.88 × 10–8; H/W GlycA p = 5.61 × 10–8). The prediction
model that uses the traditional inflammatory variables and the 1H NMR-derived parameters presented an AUC that was almost
10% higher than the model that only uses the traditional inflammatory
variables (from 0.7 to 0.79 AUC). We have demonstrated that GlycA
and GlycB variables derived from 1H NMR, along with classic
inflammatory parameters, help to improve the classification of individuals
with high RA disease activity.
The polycystic ovary
syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder
affecting women in reproductive age. Obesity and low-grade chronic
inflammation are frequently associated with PCOS. Recently, proton
nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR)-derived glycoprotein
profiles have emerged as potential biomarkers that reflect systemic
inflammation in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other pathological processes.
The aim of this work is to study plasma glycoprotein profiles as metabolic/inflammatory
biomarkers underlying PCOS and its association with inflammation and
obesity. We used 1H-NMR spectroscopy to study five glycoprotein
variables, namely GlycA, GlycB, and GlycF and the height-to-width
(H/W) ratio of GlycA and GlycB,
in 17 women with PCOS (9 non-obese and 8 obese), 17 control women
(9 non-obese and 8 obese), and 19 healthy men (10 non-obese and 9
obese). H/W ratios of GlycA and
GlycB, but not glycoprotein areas, were specifically associated with
PCOS independently of obesity. When considered as a whole, obese subjects
presented higher GlycA, GlycB, and GlycF areas and higher H/W GlycA and GlycB ratios than their non-obese
counterparts. All glycoprotein variables were associated with hsCRP,
IL-6, and TNF-α, showing different correlations among PCOS,
women, and men. Our present exploratory results suggest that 1H-NMR-derived glycoprotein profiles might serve as novel diagnostic
markers of low-grade chronic inflammation in women with PCOS.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.