Shotgun proteomics identifies serum fibronectin as a candidate diagnostic biomarker for inclusion in future multiplex tests for ectopic pregnancy.

ABSTRACT: Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is difficult to diagnose early and accurately. Women often present at emergency departments in early pregnancy with a 'pregnancy of unknown location' (PUL), and diagnosis and exclusion of EP is challenging due to a lack of reliable biomarkers. The objective of this study was to identify novel diagnostic biomarkers for EP. Shotgun proteomics, incorporating combinatorial-ligand library pre-fractionation, was used to interrogate pooled sera (n = 40) from women undergoing surgery for EP, termination of viable intrauterine pregnancy and management of non-viable intrauterine pregnancy. Western blot was used to validate results in individual sera. ELISAs were developed to interrogate sera from women with PUL (n = 120). Sera were collected at time of first symptomatic presen

SUBMITTER: Brown JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3691233 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature