Serum proteomics with SELDI-TOF-MS in congenital human cytomegalovirus hepatitis.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen, the most common congenital viral infection, and the leading cause of infant hepatitis syndrome. In this study, serum samples were collected from 20 HCMV-infected infants with hepatitis and 25 controls. Of the 25 infants in the control group, 5 were infected with HCMV but without hepatitis, 10 had hepatitis but no HCMV infection, and 10 were healthy. Proteomic expression in the serum was detected by WCX2 chips and surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS), to identify serum protein biomarkers in infants with hepatitis syndrome resulting from HCMV. Fifteen protein peaks were distinctly different among the four groups in the mass range from 2,000 to 20,000 Da. Of these 15 peaks, 4 at 4,349.8, 5,808.7, 7,935.6, and 8,885.9 Da were significantly different between the congenital HCMV-infected infants with hepatitis and the controls. Five peaks were distinctly up-regulated in the infants with HCMV infection (3,266.8, 5,638.5, 5,909.1, 7,771.4, and 15,835.6 Da) compared to those without HCMV infection. Two proteins at 4,600.1 and 5,704.3 were up-regulated in infants with HMCV infection but no hepatitis. Four protein peaks were markedly different (7,567.0, 13,744.8, 15,100.7, and 15,915.0 Da) between the infants with hepatitis and the other controls. Comparison of the differentially expressed proteins' properties with those available on an international database suggest that specific serum proteins such as the augmenter of liver regeneration, pre-albumin, and haptoglobin closely related to liver function, and cytokines such as beta-defensins 31 and 8, and macrophage-derived chemokine, among others, are involved in HMCV infection and the pathogenesis of HMCV-induced hepatitis in infants.