The DJ-1 protein as a candidate biomarker in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

• Published in: Sleep & breathing 2014-12, Vol.18 (4), p.897-900
• Main Authors: Vavougios, George, Pastaka, Chaido, Tsilioni, Irene, Natsios, George, Seitanidis, George, Florou, Evangelia, Gourgoulianis, Konstandinos I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Body Mass Index; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Dentistry; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Head and neck surgery. Maxillofacial surgery. Dental surgery. Orthodontics; Humans; Internal Medicine; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Oncogene Proteins - blood; Otorhinolaryngology; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - physiology; Pediatrics; Pneumology; Pneumology/Respiratory System; Polysomnography; Protein Deglycase DJ-1; Proteins; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Short Communication; Sleep apnea; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - blood; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - diagnosis; Sleep. Vigilance; Statistics as Topic; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the upper aerodigestive tract; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 1520-9512; 1522-1709
• DOI: 10.1007/s11325-014-0952-6

Background Oxidative stress has a central role in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The DJ-1 protein functions as a sensor of oxidative stress, acting both as a reactive oxygen species scavenger (ROS) and an antioxidative response regulator. The aim of our study is to determine the serum levels of DJ-1 in OSAS patients and assess possible correlations with their clinical, demographical, and biochemical characteristics. Methods The study included 120 subjects from the Sleep Disorder Laboratory of the University Hospital of Thessaly (100 males vs 20 females, mean age 48 ± 10, Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI) >5 episodes per hour of sleep). Subjects underwent full-night polysomnography (PSG) followed by morning blood sampling. Serum DJ-1 levels were determined via ELISA kits. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19. Results The median DJ-1 levels were 56.7 ng/mL (IQR, 34.9–99.3 ng/mL). Statistically significant correlations were detected between DJ-1’s levels and AHI (Spearman’s rho = 0.189, P  = 0.04), Desaturation Index (DI; Spearman’s rho = 0.239, P  = 0.012), and serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (Spearman’s rho = −0.205, P  = 0.042). Conclusions DJ-1 may be a useful biomarker in OSAS due to its correlations with AHI and DI. The correlation with serum LDL warrants further investigation regarding possible implications in OSAS patients’ cardiovascular comorbidities.