| 摘要 |
A method of detecting and measuring the level of total hemopexin and nitrated hemopexin in a sample of a patient in need thereof, wherein increased levels of nitrated hemopexin, relative to total hemopexin in samples, are indicative of inactivated hemopexin leading to heme toxicity and oxidative stress. In particular, the method uses an ELISA for total and nitrated hemopexin. Additional methodology based on the antibodies including multi-plexing or based on direct protein analysis with LC-MS/MS detection are future methods that will shortly become available for rapid clinical diagnostics. Medical conditions associated with increased levels of oxidative stress in vivo include most types of neurodegeneration, such as mild cognitive impairment and its progression to Alzheimer's disease, and also systemic inflammatory responses associated with heme toxicity such as intra- and extra-vascular hemolysis, stroke and cerebral hemorrhage, shock, acute lung injury, SCD, sepsis and multiple organ failure syndrome. Heme is also released by mechanical lysis of red blood cells during prolonged extracorporeal circulation for cardiac surgery or when heart valves malfunction. Neonates and children are more at risk from heme toxicity than adults due to their normally lower levels of hemopexin. Reduced levels of total active hemopexin that binds heme tightly are associated with a high risk of death because heme toxicity develops. |
