Elevated Plasma T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase Owned the Potential for Predicting Favorable Outcomes in Acute...

T-lymphokine-activated killer-cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK), was widely overexpressed in various malignant tumors, and played critical roles in their growth, differentiation and metastasis. However, its levels and potential clinical significance in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) was unknown. We detected the plasma TOPK protein level and mRNA level of neutrophilic TOPK in AIS patients using ELISA and RT-PCR, and analyzed their association with functional outcomes statistically. Among 330 patients with AIS, plasma TOPK concentrations differed significantly between patients present with excellent outcomes or not at 3 months. Plasma TOPK ≥ 69.95 pg/mL independently predicted excellent functional outcomes. In the subgroup of patients received rt-PA treatment, patients with TOPK ≥ 69.95 pg/ml also predicted excellent functional outcomes. Addition of plasma TOPK to clinical predictors for excellent outcomes post AIS as well as outcomes after rt-PA treatment improved their reclassification and discrimination. Although TOPK mRNA levels were significantly elevated in the neutrophils of AIS patients, no significant predictive value was observed for excellent outcomes. Conclusively, higher plasma TOPK levels (especially TOPK ≥ 69.95 pg/ml) might emerge as a prognostic indicator for the 3-month excellent functional outcomes post AIS and possessed predictive value in identifying patients with 3-month excellent functional outcomes after rt-PA treatment.