Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR), Chandigarh, India.
Med Hypotheses. 2012 Feb;78(2):203-10. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.10.024. Epub 2011 Nov 13.
Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) is the only component of two member extracellular actin scavenger system capable of severing circulating actin microfilaments. Here, we put forth the hypothesis that pGSN level is an important and sensitive general prognostic biomarker for health and disease conditions in humans, urging the need for gelsolin replacement therapy to improve patient's health status. Clinical significance and the therapeutic importance of this protein have been well illustrated in animal models as well as in patients with various diseases. Patients with decreased pGSN levels were observed to have higher mortality rate, longer hospital stay and longer ventilation time in intensive care units as compared to healthy controls. pGSN levels were found to be increasing in patients recovering from diseases; furthermore, it has been confirmed that repletion with exogenous recombinant pGSN increases the survival rate in animal models of different acute insults. To be used as a biomarker of health, however, establishing the accurate levels of gelsolin in human plasma and understanding its variance with age, race, gender and health status is a prerequisite. Upon establishing the accurate levels of pGSN in healthy individuals, this biomarker would predict the prognosis/disease progression in multiple health conditions and help in prioritizing the ones in-need of gelsolin replacement therapy.
血浆凝溶胶蛋白（pGSN）是唯一能够切断循环肌动蛋白微丝的两种细胞外肌动蛋白清除系统成员的组成部分。在这里，我们提出假设，即 pGSN 水平是人类健康和疾病状况的一个重要且敏感的一般预后生物标志物，迫切需要进行凝溶胶蛋白替代治疗以改善患者的健康状况。该蛋白在动物模型以及各种疾病患者中的临床意义和治疗重要性已经得到了很好的说明。与健康对照组相比，pGSN 水平降低的患者的死亡率更高，在重症监护病房的住院时间和通气时间更长。研究发现，从疾病中恢复的患者的 pGSN 水平会升高；此外，已经证实，用外源性重组 pGSN 补充可提高不同急性损伤动物模型的存活率。然而，要将其用作健康生物标志物，首先需要确定人类血浆中凝溶胶蛋白的确切水平，并了解其随年龄、种族、性别和健康状况的变化。一旦确定了健康个体中的 pGSN 水平，该生物标志物就可以预测多种健康状况下的预后/疾病进展，并有助于确定需要进行凝溶胶蛋白替代治疗的患者。
