Akos Végvári

Publications (50) View all

• Article: Correlation Queries for Mass Spectrometry Imaging.

  Frank Suits, Thomas Fehniger, Akos Vegvari, György Marko-Varga, Péter Horvatovich
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  ABSTRACT: Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) generates large volumetric data sets consisting of mass to charge ratio (m/z), ion current, and x,y coordinate location.. These datasets usually serve limited purposes centered on measuring the distribution of a small set of ions with known m/ z. Such earmarked queries consider only a fraction of the full mass spectrum captured, and there are few tools to assist the exploration of the remaining volume of unknown data in terms of demonstrating similarity or discordance in tissue compartment distribution patterns. Here we present a novel, interactive approach to extract information from MSI data that relies on pre-calculated data structures to perform queries of large data sets with a typical laptop. We have devised methods to query the full volume to find new m/z values of potential interest based on similarity to biological structures, or to the spatial distribution of known ions. We describe these query methods in detail and provide examples demonstrating the power of the methods to "discover" m/z values of ions that have such potentially interesting correlations. The "discovered" ions may be further correlated with either positional locations or the coincident distribution of other ions, using successive queries. Finally, we show it is possible to gain insight to the fragmentation pattern of the parent molecule from such correlations. The ability to discover new ions of interest in the unknown bulk of an MSI dataset offers the potential to further our understanding of biological and physiological processes related to health and disease.
  Analytical Chemistry 03/2013; · 5.86 Impact Factor
• Chapter: Clinical and Biomedical Mass Spectrometry: New Frountiers in Drug Developments and Diagnosis

  Akos Vegvari, Melinda Rezeli, David Erlinge, György Marko-Varga
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  ABSTRACT: Healthcare systems today are undergoing major restructuring. From the patient’s perspective, expectations focusing on high quality treatments for most common diseases – such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and others – have gone unmet in most countries throughout the world. Today, a number of protein expression and analysis platforms is available, which can generate large-scale maps of proteins related to healthy and diseased states. These mass spectrometry-based technologies are used on a daily basis by thousands of research laboratories around the world. The major interest is focused on discovery and validation of novel biomarkers in various diseases, as well as on targeted proteomics where quantification of multiple protein biomarkers is achieved. We present these technological developments in relation to disease diagnosis and treatment and provide two examples where significant progress has been made.
  02/2013: pages 169-185; , ISBN: 978-94-007-5811-7
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  Available from: Akos Végvári

  Article: Establishing a Southern Swedish Malignant Melanoma OMICS and Biobank Clinical Capability.

  Charlotte Welinder, Göran Jönsson, Christian Ingvar, Lotta Lundgren, Håkan Olsson, Thomas Breslin, Akos Végvári, Thomas Laurell, Melinda Rezeli, Bo Jansson, Bo Baldetorp, György Marko-Varga
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The objectives and goals of the Southern Swedish Malignant Melanoma (SSMM) are to develop, build and utilize cutting edge biobanks and OMICS platforms to better understand disease pathology and drug mechanisms. The SSMM research team is a truly cross-functional group with members from oncology, surgery, bioinformatics, proteomics, and genomics initiatives. Within the research team there are members who daily diagnose patients with suspect melanomas, do follow-ups on malignant melanoma patients and remove primary or metastatic lesions by surgery. This inter-disciplinary clinical patient care ensures a competence build as well as a best practice procedure where the patient benefits. METHODS: Clinical materials from patients before, during and after treatments with clinical end points are being collected. Tissue samples as well as bio-fluid samples such as blood fractions, plasma, serum and whole blood will be archived in 384-high density sample tube formats. Standardized approaches for patient selections, patient sampling, sample-processing and analysis platforms with dedicated protein assays and genomics platforms that will hold value for the research community are used. The patient biobank archives are fully automated with novel ultralow temperature biobank storage units and used as clinical resources. RESULTS: An IT-infrastructure using a laboratory information management system (LIMS) has been established, that is the key interface for the research teams in order to share and explore data generated within the project. The cross-site data repository in Lund forms the basis for sample processing, together with biological samples in southern Sweden, including blood fractions and tumor tissues. Clinical registries are associated with the biobank materials, including pathology reports on disease diagnosis on the malignant melanoma (MM) patients. CONCLUSIONS: We provide data on the developments of protein profiling and targeted protein assays on isolated melanoma tumors, as well as reference blood standards that is used by the team members in the respective laboratories. These pilot data show biobank access and feasibility of performing quantitative proteomics in MM biobank repositories collected in southern Sweden. The scientific outcomes further strengthen the build of healthcare benefit in the complex challenges of malignant melanoma pathophysiology that is addressed by the novel personalized medicines entering the market.
  Clinical and translational medicine. 02/2013; 2(1):7.
• Article: A Critical Evaluation of Inflammatory Markers in Huntington's Disease Plasma

  Edina Silajdžić, Melinda Rezeli, Ákos Végvári, Nayana Lahiri, Ralph Andre, Anna Magnusson-Lind, Rajasree Nambron, Eirini Kalliolia, György Marko-Varga, Thomas T. Warner, Thomas Laurell, Sarah J. Tabrizi, Maria Björkqvist
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  ABSTRACT: Background: Huntington's Disease (HD) is a hereditary, progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by both neurological and systemic symptoms. In HD, immune changes can be observed before the onset of overt clinical features raising the possibility that inflammatory markers in plasma could be used to track disease progression. It has previously been demonstrated that a widespread, progressive innate immune response is detectable in plasma throughout the course of HD. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of several components of inflammation and innate immunity as plasma biomarkers in HD. Methods: We utilised antibody-based detection technologies as well as mass spectrometric quantification, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM-MS). Results: Levels of several markers previously described as altered in HD, such as clusterin, complement component 4, complement component 9 and α-2 macroglobulin did not differ between healthy controls and HD subjects as measured by Luminex, ELISA or MRM-MS. C-reactive protein was decreased in early HD, while the other immune markers tested were unaltered. Conclusions: Although only C-reactive protein was found to be reduced in early HD, some of the inflammatory markers measured correlated with clinical measures.
  Journal of Huntington's Disease. 01/2013; 2(1):125-134.
• Chapter: Drug Localization Using MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging (in Japanese)

  Akos Vegvari, György Marko-Varga
  08/2012: pages 309-319;