Search for Amniotic Fluid-Specific Markers: Novel Biomarker Candidates for Amniotic Fluid Embolism

ABSTRACT

Objective:

Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a catastrophic syndrome. The amniotic fluid (AF)-specific antigens might be assessed in maternal serum when these proteins abruptly enter maternal circulation. The aims of this study were 1) to review a conventional marker for diagnosis of AFE, and 2) to find AF-specific proteins.

Study Deign:

This article reviews the English language literature for identification of proteins specifically or exclusively present in AF. The genome-wide gene expression profiling studies and proteomics-based approaches have been reported to identify the AF-specific proteins.

Results:

Maternal serum sialosyl Tn (STN), zinc-coproporphyrin-1 (ZnCP-1), tryptase and complement activation are clinically used as biomarkers for detecting AFE. However, these tests are quite limited. With advances in proteomics technology, together with the considerable efforts to find novel diagnostic biomarkers, many candidate proteins have been discovered and reported. Among 44 candidate markers identified in the present review, interleukin(IL)-6, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP)-1, CA125 and osteopontin may be unique AFspecific markers.

Conclusions:

This paper reviews recent advances in proteomics-based technology providing a significant resource for AFE research and a framework for biomarker discovery. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential functional biomarkers for the diagnosis of AFE.

Keywords:

North-south residence, Amniotic fluid embolism, Biomarker, fetal growth, Proteomics, Squamous cell carcinoma antigen.