Cytochrome-c detection : A diagnostic marker for myocardial infarction

• Published in: Applied biochemistry and biotechnology Vol. 90; no. 2; pp. 97 - 105
• Main Authors: ALLEYNE, Trevor, JOSEPH, Jerome, SAMPSON, Valerie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.02.2001; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Biotechnology; Chemiluminescence; Cytochrome; cytochrome c; Cytochrome c Group - blood; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health. Pharmaceutical industry; Heart attacks; Humans; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Luminescent Measurements; Miscellaneous; Mitochondrial Myopathies - blood; Mitochondrial Myopathies - diagnosis; Myocardial infarction; Myocardial Infarction - blood; Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; Proteins; Reference Values; Sensitivity and Specificity; Studies; Cytochrome c; Case study; Human; Infarct; Analytical method; Serum; Chemiluminescence; Diagnosis; Myocardial disease
• ISSN: 0273-2289; 1559-0291; 0273-2289
• DOI: 10.1385/ABAB:90:2:97

Following a myocardial infarction (MI) cells die or are damaged and their contents leak into the blood circulation, resulting in elevated serum levels of various enzymes, proteins, and organic molecules. Over the past few decades, it has become standard practice to employ the detection of these elevated substances as markers for the confirmation of MIs and to monitor MI patients' response to treatment. Although it has previously been shown that cytochrome-c, a small respiratory protein, is among those elevated, the lack of a suitable detection system has prevented its routine use in the diagnosis of MIs. We present a preliminary study in which chemiluminescence was employed to detect elevated levels of cytochrome-c in the serum of MI patients. The technique, which is specific for c-type proteins, is approx 30 times more sensitive than the traditional Coomassie blue stain and can detect as little as 0.03 microg of protein. It also has potential for diagnostic use in other diseases that are characterized by mitochondrial damage.