Objective: To investigate the role of tongue coating fluid protein in regulation of congestive heart failure (CHF) in Qi-deficiency-blood-stasis syndrome.
Methods: We studied patients with CHF (3 patients with Qi-deficiency-blood-stasis syndrome and 3 without Qi-deficiency-blood-stasis syndrome) to investigate differentially expressed proteins. We also included a control group. A biotin label-based antibody array was used for testing tongue coating fluid samples from patients. Network analysis of these differentially expressed proteins was conducted using the STRING database, which can predict the relations between differentially expressed proteins and CHF with Qi-deficiency-blood-stasis syndrome.
Results: A total of seven differentially expressed proteins were identified, and among these, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) gets a?particular?attention for us has drawn specific attention. Network analysis showed a homologous relationship of TGF-β1 with bone morphogenetic protein 15, which is associated with myocardial fibrosis.
Conclusion: Occurrence and development of CHF may result from certain DE-proteins and associated signaling pathways. TGF-β1 protein may be a candidate marker for assessing the risk of CHF in Qi-deficiency-blood-stasis syndrome.
Keywords: Bone morphogenetic protein 15; Congestive heart failure; Differentially expressed protein; Qi-deficiency blood-stasi; Transforming growth factor β1.