β2-Microglobulin as a biomarker in peripheral arterial disease: Proteomic profiling and clinical studies

Abstract

BACKGROUND - Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is common but commonly unrecognized. Improved recognition of PAD is needed. We used high-throughput proteomic profiling to find PAD-associated biomarkers. METHODS AND RESULTS - Plasma was collected from PAD patients (ankle brachial index of <0.90; n=45) and subjects with risk factors but without PAD (n=43). Plasma was analyzed with surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry to quantify 1619 protein peaks. The peak intensity of a 12-kDa protein was higher in PAD patients. Western blot analyses and immunoaffinity studies confirmed that this protein was β2-microglobulin (B2M). In a validation study, B2M was measur..