PURPOSE: To evaluate plasma pentraxin 3 (PTX3) in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and investigate the possibility of its role as a predictive biomarker. METHODS: Nested case-control study. The study included 57 patients with RVO and 45 age- and gender-matched subjects without RVO as controls. Plasma PTX3 and C-reactive protein concentration were measured in both groups a posteriori from frozen samples by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULTS: The measured PTX3 value for the RVO group was 1,508 +/- 1,183 pg/mL (mean +/- standard deviation) and 833 +/- 422 pg/mL for the controls (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in PTX3 levels between patients with central retinal vein occlusion and branched retinal vein occlusion (1,468 +/- 1,300 vs. 1,533 +/- 1,121 pg/mL; p = 0.818). CONCLUSIONS: Our data seems to support the role of chronic inflammation and ischemia in the development of RVO. It is possible that PTX3 can be used as a diagnostic biomarker of RVO.
Acute-Phase Proteins/metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers/*blood ; C-Reactive Protein/*metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retinal Vein Occlusion/*blood/diagnosis ; Serum Amyloid P-Component/*metabolism

Clinical examination, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology, acute-phase protein, and pulmonary hemostasis and fibrinolysis marker (fibrinogen, serum amyloid A [SAA], and D-dimer) results were compared between control and respiratory disease-affected horses. Using a clinical scoring system, horses (n = 58) were classified as respiratory disease-free (Controls, n = 15) or with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO; n = 18), inflammatory airway disease (n = 14) or chronic interstitial pneumopathy (n = 11). There were no significant differences in fibrinogen concentrations among groups, but there was a trend toward a lower value in controls (median 0.0024 g/L) than in horses with chronic pneumopathies (median 0.0052 g/L), in particular, those with RAO (median 0.0062 g/L). Fibrinogen concentration was positively correlated with percentage of neutrophils in BALF (r(s) = 0.377, p = 0.004). SAA concentrations were low; 65.5% of samples were below the detection limit. D-dimer concentrations were also low and quantifiable concentrations were only obtained after ultrafiltration and only in RAO (median 0.1 mg/L). In conclusion, there was limited evidence of increased coagulatory activity in chronic pneumopathies, apart from RAO. It is uncertain whether fibrinogen and D-dimer concentrations increased due to their role as acute-phase proteins or as a misbalance of coagulation and fibrinolysis.
Acute-Phase Proteins ; Airway Obstruction ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Fibrinogen ; Fibrinolysis* ; Hemostasis* ; Horses ; Limit of Detection ; Neutrophils ; Serum Amyloid A Protein ; Ultrafiltration

<p>OBJECTIVETo study the diagnostic value of determinations of serum acute phase reaction protein, such as complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4), prealbumin (PA) and C-reactive protein (CRP), etc., in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).p><p>METHODSSerum levels of C3, C4, PA and CRP were determined by turbidimetry in 54 cases of SARS, 20 of other pneumonia and 30 normal persons.p><p>RESULTSSerum concentrations of C3, C4, CRP and PA were (1.18 +/- 0.42) g/L, (1.15 +/- 0.56) g/L, (10.52 +/- 8.77) mg/L and (107 +/- 54) mg/L in SARS patients, (1.30 +/- 0.46) g/L, (0.57 +/- 0.31) g/L, (0.88 +/- 0.43) mg/L and (291 +/- 76) mg/L in patients with other pneumonia, and (1.11 +/- 0.56) g/L, (0.38 +/- 0.26) g/L, (0.42 +/- 0.26) mg/L and (376 +/- 74) mg/L in normal persons, respectively. Serum level of PA was significantly lower and levels of C4 and CRP significantly in patients with SARS higher than those in patients with other pneumonia and normal persons (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in serum level of C3 between the three groups (P > 0.05).p><p>CONCLUSIONDetermination of serum level of C4, CRP and PA in suspected patients is beneficial to early differential diagnosis for SARS.p>
Acute-Phase Proteins ; analysis ; Acute-Phase Reaction ; blood ; Adult ; Aged ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Complement C3 ; analysis ; Complement C4 ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prealbumin ; analysis ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; blood

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disease of child-bearing period women and one of the main causes of infertility in women. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a multifunctional protein with a series of biological activities. PTX3 participates in the regulation of insulin secretion and glucose metabolism, ovarian cumulus cell function, inflammatory factor activity, androgen metabolism, lipid absorption and transport, and endothelial cell function, thereby improving insulin resistance, promoting follicular development and ovulation, reducing chronic inflammation, inhibiting androgen levels, improving lipid metabolism abnormalities and preventing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, thus participating in the occurrence of PCOS and its complications. This article reviews the mechanism of PTX3 in PCOS and its complications, trying to provide new ideas and directions for the study of PCOS pathogenesis and its clinical diagnosis and treatment.
C-Reactive Protein/metabolism* ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/physiopathology* ; Serum Amyloid P-Component/metabolism*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare serum amyloid A (SAA) protein levels with high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels as markers of systemic inflammation in patients with chronic periodontitis. The association of serum titers of antibodies to periodontal microbiota and SAA/hs-CRP levels in periodontitis patients was also studied. METHODS: A total of 110 individuals were included in this study. Patients were assessed for levels of hs-CRP and SAA. Nonfasting blood samples were collected from participants at the time of clinical examination. The diagnosis of adipose tissue disorders was made according to previously defined criteria. To determine SAA levels, a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was utilized. Paper points were transferred to a sterile tube to obtain a pool of samples for polymerase chain reaction processing and the identification of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Tannerella forsythia. The serum level of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies to P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans, and T. forsythia was also determined. RESULTS: SAA and hs-CRP levels were higher in periodontitis patients than in controls (P<0.05). In bivariate analysis, high levels of hs-CRP (>3 mg/L) and SAA (>10 mg/L) were significantly associated with chronic periodontitis (P=0.004). The Spearman correlation analysis between acute-phase proteins showed that SAA positively correlated with hs-CRP (r=0.218, P=0.02). In the adjusted model, chronic periodontitis was associated with high levels of SAA (odds ratio [OR], 5.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-18.2; P=0.005) and elevated hs-CRP levels (OR, 6.1, 95% CI, 1.6-23.6; P=0.008). Increased levels of serum IgG2 antibodies to P. gingivalis were associated with high levels of SAA (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.4-8.5; P=0.005) and high concentrations of hs-CRP (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.9-9.8; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SAA and hs-CRP concentrations in patients with chronic periodontitis are comparably elevated. High serum titers of antibodies to P. gingivalis and the presence of periodontal disease are independently related to high SAA and hs-CRP levels.
Acute-Phase Proteins ; Adipose Tissue ; Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ; Antibodies ; C-Reactive Protein* ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Forsythia ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Inflammation ; Microbiota ; Periodontal Diseases ; Periodontitis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Serum Amyloid A Protein*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: As shown in previous studies, pentraxin 3 (PTX3) can be a useful inflammatory marker for metabolic syndrome and central obesity. Serum PTX3 levels are also an independent factor associated with visceral fat area. The aim of this study was to assess the role of PTX3 as an inflammatory maker in patients with central obesity undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) following an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From December 2007 to June 2008, 40 subjects (mean age: 61+/-11 years, M : F=34 : 6) with STEMI who underwent primary PCI were enrolled. We determined waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), and visceral and total fat area via fat computed tomography (FAT-CT), and compared them with serum PTX3 concentrations. RESULTS: The serum PTX3 concentration was closely related to FAT-CT-estimated visceral fat area (r=0.41, p<0.01) and total fat area (r=0.38, p=0.01), respectively. The serum PTX3 concentration was not related to waist circumference (r=0.27, p=0.20), waist circumference/hip ratio (r=0.25, p=0.16), BMI (r=0.04, p=0.80) and lipid profiles, respectively. Among the parameters determining metabolic syndrome, an increasing visceral fat area had the strongest association with PTX3 concentrations. CONCLUSION: In patients with STEMI, PTX3 is associated with central obesity and it is significantly and independently correlated with visceral fat area. FAT-CT-estimated visceral fat area is the most reliable factor associated with serum PTX3 levels in patients with STEMI and central obesity.
Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Myocardial Infarction ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Serum Amyloid P-Component ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) was shown to be elevated in the acute phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to have prognostic significance in AMI patients. The aim of this study was to estimate whether the value of PTX3 could be used as a prognostic biomarker, with the global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) risk assessment tool, in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between July 2007 and June 2008, 137 patient subjects (mean age : 61+/-12 years, M : F=108 : 29) with ACS who underwent coronary intervention, but did not have a prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and/or follow-up coronary angiogram, were enrolled. We estimated the all-cause mortality or death/MI, in-hospital and to 6 months, using the GRACE risk scores and compared these estimates with serum PTX3 concentrations. RESULTS: The serum PTX3 concentration showed a significant increase in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) greater than the unstable angina pectoris (UAP) group (2.4+/-2.1 ng/mL vs. 1.3+/-0.9 ng/mL, p= 0.017, respectively), but did not show a significant difference between non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and the UAP group (1.9+/-1.4 ng/mL vs. 1.3+/-0.9 ng/mL, p=0.083, respectively). The serum PTX3 concentration was closely related to death/MI in-hospital (r=0.242, p=0.015) and death/MI to 6 months (r=0.224, p=0.023), respectively. The serum PTX3 concentration was not related to all-cause mortality in-hospital (r=0.112, p=0.269) and to 6 months (r=0.132, p=0.191), respectively. Among the parameters determining the GRACE risk scores, the degree of Killip class in congestive heart failure (CHF) was independently associated with the supramedian PTX3 concentration [odds ratio: 2.229 (95% confidence interval: 1.038-4.787), p=0.040]. CONCLUSION: The serum PTX3 level provides important information for the risk stratification of CHF among the parameters determining the GRACE risk scores in subjects with ACS.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Angina, Unstable ; C-Reactive Protein ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Risk Assessment ; Serum Amyloid P-Component

<p>BACKGROUNDAcute aortic dissection is a life-threatening cardiovascular emergency. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is proposed as a prognostic marker and found to be related to worse clinical outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases. This study sought to investigate the association of circulating PTX3 levels with in-hospital mortality in patients with acute Type A aortic dissection (TAAD).p><p>METHODSA total of 98 patients with TAAD between January 2012 and December 2015 were enrolled in this study. Plasma concentrations of PTX3 were measured upon admission using a high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system. Patients were divided into two groups as patients died during hospitalization (Group 1) and those who survived (Group 2). The clinical, laboratory variables, and imaging findings were analyzed between the two groups, and predictors for in-hospital mortality were evaluated using multivariate analysis.p><p>RESULTSDuring the hospital stay, 32 (33%) patients died and 66 (67%) survived. The patients who died during hospitalization had significantly higher PTX3 levels on admission compared to those who survived. Pearson's correlation analysis demonstrated that PTX3 correlated positively with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), maximum white blood cell count, and aortic diameter. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that PTX3 levels, coronary involvement, cardiac tamponade, and a conservative treatment strategy are significant independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with TAAD. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis further illustrated that PTX3 levels on admission were strong predictors of mortality with an area under the curve of 0.89. A PTX3 level ≥5.46 ng/ml showed a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 79%, and an hsCRP concentration ≥9.5 mg/L had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 69% for predicting in-hospital mortality.p><p>CONCLUSIONHigh PTX3 levels on admission are independently associated with the in-hospital mortality in patients with TAAD.p>
Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; blood ; mortality ; Aortic Aneurysm ; blood ; mortality ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serum Amyloid P-Component ; metabolism

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is currently the most common complication of diabetes. It is considered to be one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and affects many diabetic patients. The pathogenesis of DN is extremely complex and has not yet been clarified; however, in recent years, increasing evidence has shown the important role of innate immunity in DN pathogenesis. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are important components of the innate immune system and have a significant impact on the occurrence and development of DN. In this review, we classify PRRs into secretory, endocytic, and signal transduction PRRs according to the relationship between the PRRs and subcellular compartments. PRRs can recognize related pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), thus triggering a series of inflammatory responses, promoting renal fibrosis, and finally causing renal impairment. In this review, we describe the proposed role of each type of PRRs in the development and progression of DN.
Alarmins/physiology* ; C-Reactive Protein/physiology* ; Diabetic Nephropathies/etiology* ; Endocytosis ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Mannose-Binding Lectin/physiology* ; Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules ; Receptors, Pattern Recognition/physiology* ; Serum Amyloid P-Component/physiology* ; Signal Transduction

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) is well known to be involved in the immune system and ovarian inflammation. Ovarian cancer is an inflammation-related malignancy that lacks early screening strategies, resulting in late diagnosis followed by high mortality. Based on our previous data, TNF induced abundant serum amyloid A (SAA), an acute phase protein linked to inflammation, in ovarian granulosal cells. To date, the regulation and expression of SAA in ovarian cancer is not fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the relationship between TNF and SAA by comparing human normal ovarian tissues and serous ovarian tumors. We found that SAA1/2 was significantly expressed in tumor tissues, but no or trace expression levels in normal tissues. TNF was also significantly upregulated in ovarian tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. Moreover, TNF significantly increased SAA1/2 levels in human ovarian cancer cell lines, OVCAR-3 and SKOV-3, in a time-dependent manner. Since the SAA1 promoter contains two nuclear factor (NF)-κB sites, we examined whether TNF regulates SAA1 promoter activity. Deletion analysis revealed that the proximal NF-κB site (−95/−85) played a critical role in regulating TNF-induced SAA1 promoter activity. Within 2 h after intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide, a product known to stimulate release of TNF, SAA preferably localized to ovarian epithelial cells and the thecal-interstitial layers compared to granulosal cell layers. Based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, SAA1/2 and TNF were dominantly expressed in advanced grade ovarian cancer. Taken together, the accumulation of SAA1/2 in ovarian cancer could be mediated by TNF-induced NF-κB activation.
Acute-Phase Proteins ; Amyloid* ; Cell Line ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Epithelial Cells ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Mass Screening ; Mortality ; Necrosis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Serum Amyloid A Protein ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha