Proteins in plasma as a potential biomarkers diagnostic for pelvic organ prolapse

Tao Wang; Yuqing Liu; Ling Mei; Tao Cui; Dongmei Wei; Yueyue Chen; Xiaoli Zhang; Linbo Gao; Shihong Zhang; Lanfang Guo; Pei Yang; Xiaoyu Niu

doi:10.21037/atm-21-1607

Proteins in plasma as a potential biomarkers diagnostic for pelvic organ prolapse

Ann Transl Med. 2021 Jul;9(14):1117. doi: 10.21037/atm-21-1607.

Authors

Tao Wang¹, Yuqing Liu¹, Ling Mei², Tao Cui², Dongmei Wei², Yueyue Chen², Xiaoli Zhang¹, Linbo Gao¹, Shihong Zhang³, Lanfang Guo³, Pei Yang³, Xiaoyu Niu²

Affiliations

¹ Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
³ Health Management Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Abstract

Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the most common and widespread type of female pelvic floor dysfunction disease (PFD). At present, the diagnosis of POP is mainly based on a complicated systematic evaluation of the clinical phenotype, medical history, and relevant functional examinations. Rapid and simple tests that are based on biochemical biomarkers that surpass the sensitivity and specificity of the current methods for the diagnosis of POP will greatly facilitate the timely diagnosis and treatment of women with POP.

Methods: A protein array was used to screen plasma samples collected from healthy controls and women with POP. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used to determine the levels of three novel and potentially useful analytes: heat shock protein 10 (HSP10), zinc finger CCCH domain-containing protein 8 (ZC3H8), and unc-45 myosin chaperone A (UNC45A). We then determined the diagnostic value of each of these analytes as potential diagnostic biomarkers for clinical application.

Results: The mean levels of HSP10, ZC3H8, and UNC45A, were lower in the plasma samples from 76 patients with POP than in 56 samples from healthy controls (P<0.05). Comparisons between patients with POP and healthy controls demonstrated the sensitivity and specificity of HSP10 (73.7% and 71.4%), ZC3H8 (71.1% and 62.5%), and UNC45A (70.7% and 62.5%).

Conclusions: Analysis indicated that plasma levels of HSP10, ZC3H8, and UNC45A, are sensitive and specific biomarkers for the diagnosis of POP.

Keywords: Biomarker; antibody array; diagnostic value; heat shock protein 10 (HSP10); pelvic organ prolapse (POP).