OBJECTIVE: To investigate disease related or pathogenic short peptides in sera from patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: Seventy-six serum samples, including 26 from patients with mild CHB, 19 with moderate CHB, 31 with severe CHB were tested using Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. Effects of the identified peptides on human stellate cell and human normal hepatic cell were tested using sera containing the peptides and synthesized peptides. Quantitive real-time PCR were used to assay the expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta1) and collagen I (COLI). RESULTS: Among the distinguished proteins of serum proteomics profile, moleculars of 1779 Da, 1691 Da, 1450 Da, 1866 Da appeared stable. The 1866 Da protein, which was identified as complement C3f des-arginine (DRC3f) by Liquid chromatograph MS/MS (LC-MS/MS). The fresh sera or filtrated sera containing DRC3f (F = 55.715 and 26.325 respectively, P <0.01) , as well as the synthesized peptides of DRC3f and C3f, could stimulate proliferation of human hepatic cell (F = 40.004 and 89.685 respectively, P <0.01). DRC3f could decrease expression of TGFbeta1 and COLI in hepatic cells. CONCLUSION: The DRC3f identified in this study may serve as a biomarker for severe degree CHB.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate disease related or pathogenic short peptides in sera from patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: Seventy-six serum samples, including 26 from patients with mild CHB, 19 with moderate CHB, 31 with severe CHB were tested using Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. Effects of the identified peptides on human stellate cell and human normal hepatic cell were tested using sera containing the peptides and synthesized peptides. Quantitive real-time PCR were used to assay the expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta1) and collagen I (COLI). RESULTS: Among the distinguished proteins of serum proteomics profile, moleculars of 1779 Da, 1691 Da, 1450 Da, 1866 Da appeared stable. The 1866 Da protein, which was identified as complement C3fdes-arginine (DRC3f) by Liquid chromatograph MS/MS (LC-MS/MS). The fresh sera or filtrated sera containing DRC3f (F = 55.715 and 26.325 respectively, P <0.01) , as well as the synthesized peptides of DRC3f and C3f, could stimulate proliferation of human hepatic cell (F = 40.004 and 89.685 respectively, P <0.01). DRC3f could decrease expression of TGFbeta1 and COLI in hepatic cells. CONCLUSION: The DRC3f identified in this study may serve as a biomarker for severe degree CHB.