Fluorescent biomarker ABM: properties and estimation of immune state of patients with different pathologies

Abstract

Patients with cancer (namely advanced cancer) exhibit poorly functionating immune system. It is now widely accepted that dynamics of changes, along the certain types of alterations in structures of lipid/protein themselves of immune system cells and blood plasma, plays a critical role in the maintenance of the immune status of organism. Biomarkers for prediction of disease outcome are of great interest in human medicine. The fluorescent probe ABM was used to characterize lymphocyte membranes and blood plasma albumin of cancer patients suffering from advanced cancer with wide metastasis and intoxication. The aim of these studies was to evaluate the potential applicability of ABM fluorescence measures as a standard tool in the analyses of host immune status and for a clinical interpretation of alterations in albumin per se and in lymphocyte functional activity in cancer patients receiving palliative care. We registered probe ABM spectral parameters in patients lymphocytes, blood plasma, and ABM autofluorescence in plasma. The fluorescence intensity of ABM in blood plasma and lymphocyte suspension differed from control values and showed specific differences in patient groups in accordance (correlation) with survival rate. A significant decrease in ABM fluorescence in plasma could be explained, in part, by a diminished binding capacity of the albumin of these patients. The lymphocyte distribution among the subsets of patients also differed. Interestingly, the ABM fluorescence in the cell suspension and blood plasma was also found to correlate with select immunological parameters (CD4 + /CD8 + ratios, lymphocyte counts, etc). Results strongly correlated with changes in ABM spectral characteristics and both clinical and pathological estimates of patient immune state. ABM spectroscopy appears to be useful for clinicians to monitor the course of certain diseases (e.g. gastrointestinal cancers).

Radiation-modified albumin in type 2 diabetic patients

“…The fluorescent method reveals the effective concentration of albumin (equivalent to 'healthy' albumin in blood plasma). The total concentration of albumin is conservative [4,5]. The present study reveals significant changes in ABM fluorescence associated with plasma albumin of the patients in the observed groups.…”

“…Many questions regarding structure and properties of albumin remain unclear, among them physical properties related to albumin structure (especially in molecule tryptophan area), functional role of ligand and transportation of oxidation products during various pathologies. The reason for examining albumin is that this protein is practically the only source of ABM binding in blood plasma with a very high selectivity and subsequent fluorescence [5,13,15].…”

“…ABM ABM (conventional name) was synthesized in Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia [6]. Synthesis of ABM, its properties and results of the research carried out to determine the immune state of patients with different pathologies was summarised previously [5].…”

“…It has been shown previously that the probe ABM exhibits high affinity for model and biological membranes [5][6][7]. The lymphocyte membrane and albumin of Chernobyl clean-up workers was examined using ABM probe in 1996-1997 and re-examined in 2006-2007 on the same individuals [5,8,9]. The changes in cell membrane system of Chernobyl cleanup workers with type 2 diabetes mellitus are described in our previous article [10].…”

“…Spectral characteristics of probes (benzanthrone derivatives) satisfy all requirements for ideal tracers. It has been shown previously that the probe ABM exhibits high affinity for model and biological membranes [5][6][7]. The lymphocyte membrane and albumin of Chernobyl clean-up workers was examined using ABM probe in 1996-1997 and re-examined in 2006-2007 on the same individuals [5,8,9].…”