Detection of protein biomarkers using high-throughput immunoblotting following focal ischemic or penetrating ballistic-like brain injuries in rats

Primary objective: Recent efforts have been aimed at developing a panel of protein biomarkers for the diagnosis/prognosis of the neurological damage associated with acute brain injury. Methods and procedures: This study utilized high-throughput immunoblotting (HTPI) technology to compare changes between two animal models of acute brain injury: penetrating ballistic-like brain injury (PBBI) which mimics the injury created by a gunshot wound and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) which is a model of stroke. Brain and blood were collected at 24-hours post-injury. Main outcomes and results: This study identified the changes in 18 proteins following PBBI and 17 proteins following MCAo out of a total of 998 screened proteins. Distinct differences were observed between the two models: five proteins were up- or down-regulated in both models, 23 proteins changed in only one model and one protein was differentially expressed. Western blots were used to verify HTPI results for selected proteins with measurable changes observed in both blood and brain for the proteins STAT3, Tau, PKA RII, 14-3-3 and p43/EMAPII. Conclusions: These results suggest distinct post-injury protein profiles between brain injury types (traumatic vs. ischemic) that will facilitate strategies aimed at the differential diagnosis and prognosis of acute brain injury.