Application of rapid analysis methods of protein markers for exposure assessment

Biological markers that reflect and quantify biological response are useful tools in the exposure assessment of different hazards. A variety of proteins have been reported to be selectively expressed in response to exposure to harmful agents. However, protein markers often are affected by more than one agent. Therefore, a profile of protein marker expression could provide a more specific assessment of an exposure. Recently developed cytomtric bead array technology has enabled fast, efficient, and reliable measurement of multiple protein markers in a single sample. Commercially available cytokine kits afford the opportunity to investigate the utility of these protein profiles in exposure assessment. This work evaluates the application of this new technology in biomarker research. Further, the utility of cytokine profiles in exposure assessment has been examined by in vitro experiments with NBC agents; radiation, LPS, and soman. The technology has shown from our studies, to provide tast, relialbe, and more comprehensive data from individual experiments. Cytokine profiles yielded useful information from in vitro exposures to LPS, elucidating information specific for the exposure as well as indications, based on kinetic studies, of time of exposure. In vivo studies are needed to determine whether the cytokine profiles will be useful in elucidating other exposures where target tissues are other than blood cells. In this case, one would hope to detect the expression of cytokines from target tissues systemically in the blood.