Supplementary Material for: Pilot Study Using Proteomics to Identify Predictive Biomarkers of Necrotizing Enterocolitis from Buccal Swabs in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of death and morbidity in very low birth weight infants. Objective: To identify biomarker(s) that would predict NEC using buccal swab samples utilizing a proteomic approach. Methods: Cumulative buccal swab samples derived from very low birth weight preterm infants (Results: Preliminary validation studies using Western blots on these samples and 10 additional NEC and 10 matched control buccal samples collected within 2 or 3 weeks before NEC diagnosis analysis showed lower interleukin-1 receptor antagonist. Conclusion: Our results suggest that interleukin-1 receptor antagonist is worthy of further studies to determine its utility in helping predict NEC.