Procollagen C-Proteinase Enhancer 1 (PCPE-1) as a Plasma Marker of Muscle and Liver Fibrosis in Mice.

ABSTRACT: Current non-invasive diagnostic methods of fibrosis are limited in their ability to identify early and intermediate stages of fibrosis and assess the efficacy of therapy. New biomarkers of fibrosis are therefore constantly sought for, leading us to evaluate procollagen C-proteinase enhancer 1 (PCPE-1), a fibrosis-related extracellular matrix glycoprotein, as a plasma marker of fibrosis. A sandwich ELISA that permitted accurate measurements of PCPE-1 concentrations in mouse plasma was established. Tissue fibrosis was assessed using histochemical, immunofluorescence, and immunoblotting analyses for type I collagen and PCPE-1. The normal plasma concentration of PCPE-1 in 6 weeks to 4 months old mice was ~200 ng/ml (189.5 ± 11.3 to 206.8 ± 13.8 ng/ml). PCPE-1 plasma concentrations in four and

SUBMITTER: Hassoun E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4961444 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature