Glial fibrillary acidic protein: a potential biomarker for small fiber neuropathy?

IF 3.1 3区医学 Q2 ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM

Acta Diabetologica Pub Date : 2025-04-07 DOI:10.1007/s00592-025-02500-8

Claus Vinter Bødker Hviid, Nicklas Højgaard-Hessellund Rasmussen, Johan Røikjer

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Objective and easily applicable biomarkers for diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) are warranted. Circulating nerve-specific proteins have emerged as valuable biomarkers for central nervous system disease but few of these have been tested in peripheral neuropathy. Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) is highly expressed in non-myelinating Schwann cells while UCH-L1 is a neuron expressed stress protein not previous analyzed in DPN. In this pilot study, we explore serum GFAP and UCH-L1 levels in patients with/without DPN and controls.

Methods: Persons with DPN (n = 28), without DPN (n = 31), and controls (n = 30) were evaluated in a cross-sectional design. Sural nerve conduction (velocity and amplitude) was evaluated by NC-stat DPNCheck™ and quantitative sensory testing of cold detection and pain was performed. GFAP and UCH-L1 levels were compared across study groups and the unadjusted correlation with nerve assessments evaluated.

Results: Serum GFAP were lower in persons with DPN (20.9 ± 10.9 pg/ml) than in persons without DPN (26.2 ± 14.1 pg/ml) (p = 0.04) or controls (31.7 ± 26.0 pg/ml) (p = 0.02). GFAP levels were not different in persons without DPN and controls (p = 0.61). UCH-L1 levels were not different between study groups (p = 0.48). GFAP levels correlated with cold pain threshold (Rho= - 0.320, p = 0.02) but failed to reach significance for cold detection (Rho= - 0.236, p = 0.09). No correlation was observed between GFAP and nerve amplitude (p = 0.58) or conductivity (p = 0.86).

Conclusion: Serum GFAP levels are reduced in persons with DPN compared to persons without DPN and controls. Reduced serum GFAP levels may be associated with reduced markers of small nerve fiber damage obtained from quantitative sensory testing in people with diabetes.

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胶质纤维酸性蛋白：小纤维神经病的潜在生物标志物？

背景：糖尿病多发神经病变（DPN）的客观和易于应用的生物标志物是必要的。循环神经特异性蛋白已成为中枢神经系统疾病的有价值的生物标志物，但很少在周围神经病变中进行测试。胶质纤维酸性蛋白（Glial Fibrillary acid Protein， GFAP）在非髓鞘雪旺细胞中高表达，而UCH-L1是一种神经元表达的应激蛋白，此前未在DPN中分析过。在这项初步研究中，我们探讨了患有/不患有DPN的患者和对照组血清GFAP和UCH-L1水平。方法：采用横断面设计对DPN患者（n = 28）、非DPN患者（n = 31）和对照组（n = 30）进行评估。采用NC-stat DPNCheck™评估腓肠神经传导（速度和振幅），并进行冷感和疼痛的定量感觉测试。比较各组间GFAP和UCH-L1水平，并评估与神经评估的未调整相关性。结果：DPN患者血清GFAP（20.9±10.9 pg/ml）低于非DPN患者（26.2±14.1 pg/ml）（p = 0.04）或对照组（31.7±26.0 pg/ml）（p = 0.02）。无DPN者与对照组GFAP水平无差异（p = 0.61）。各组间UCH-L1水平无差异（p = 0.48）。GFAP水平与冷痛阈相关（Rho= - 0.320, p = 0.02），但对冷痛阈检测不显著（Rho= - 0.236, p = 0.09）。GFAP与神经振幅（p = 0.58）或传导率（p = 0.86）无相关性。结论：DPN患者血清GFAP水平低于非DPN患者和对照组。血清GFAP水平的降低可能与糖尿病患者定量感觉测试中获得的小神经纤维损伤标志物的降低有关。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Acta Diabetologica 医学-内分泌学与代谢

CiteScore

7.30

自引率

2.60%

发文量

180

审稿时长

2 months

期刊介绍： Acta Diabetologica is a journal that publishes reports of experimental and clinical research on diabetes mellitus and related metabolic diseases. Original contributions on biochemical, physiological, pathophysiological and clinical aspects of research on diabetes and metabolic diseases are welcome. Reports are published in the form of original articles, short communications and letters to the editor. Invited reviews and editorials are also published. A Methodology forum, which publishes contributions on methodological aspects of diabetes in vivo and in vitro, is also available. The Editor-in-chief will be pleased to consider articles describing new techniques (e.g., new transplantation methods, metabolic models), of innovative importance in the field of diabetes/metabolism. Finally, workshop reports are also welcome in Acta Diabetologica.