Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with future cardiovascular disease but mechanisms are not well defined. We examined the association between HDP and atherosclerotic cardiovascu Show more
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with future cardiovascular disease but mechanisms are not well defined. We examined the association between HDP and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) biomarkers 5-10 years after childbirth. Secondary analysis of the NICHD MFMU Network Gestational Diabetes (GDM) Trial Follow-Up study. Participants were recruited and biospecimens obtained 5-10 years after the original trial of treatment for mild GDM. Patients were included if a biospecimen was available and their HDP status was known. We compared patients who experienced HDP to normotensive controls. Outcomes included unadjusted medians and mean concentrations of ASCVD serum biomarkers Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and creatinine. Generalized linear models were used to compare concentrations between groups. Of 740 participants in this analysis, 78 had been diagnosed with HDP. Mean duration of follow up after delivery was 7.1 ± 1.3 years for both groups. Unadjusted means of each biomarker were not different between groups. After adjusting for obesity, mean serum creatinine was elevated in women who had been diagnosed with HDP (0.77 mg/dL 95%CI (0.72, 0.82)) compared to controls (0.71 mg/dL 95%CI (0.69, 0.72)), p = 0.02. Adjusted means for ApoB between women with HDP and controls were 64.2 mg/dL (95%CI (59.3, 69.5)) and 60.6 mg/dL (95%CI (58.9, 62.3)), (p = 0.18), and for hs-CRP mg/L were 14.6 (95%CI (11.4, 19.1)) and 14.5 mg/L (95%CI (13.3, 15.9)), (p = 0.91). In patients with HDP compared to normotensive controls, serum creatinine, but not ApoB or hs-CRP, was modestly elevated within 10 years of childbirth. Show less
Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE)-mass spectrometry (MS) has attracted tremendous attention in top-down proteomics (TDP). However, its reproducibility and long-term repeatability for TDP remain con Show more
Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE)-mass spectrometry (MS) has attracted tremendous attention in top-down proteomics (TDP). However, its reproducibility and long-term repeatability for TDP remain concerns, most likely due to capillary coating. Here, we present an improved procedure for making linear polyacrylamide (LPA) coating, the most widely used coating in CE-MS-based proteomics, to boost the reproducibility and long-term repeatability of CZE-MS-based TDP. We focused on the step of degassing the polymerization solution, a critical step for achieving consistent LPA coating quality. The CZE-MS system using LPA-coated capillaries prepared with the optimal degassing procedure produced excellent reproducibility and repeatability for proteoform analysis. The 210 CZE-MS runs of three protein samples (a standard protein mixture, an Show less