RNA interference characterization of proteins discovered by proteomic analysis of pancreatic cancer reveals function in cell growth and survival.

Objectives: There is a clear need for better therapeutics and diagnostics for pancreatic cancer. We aimed to discover plasma membrane-associated proteins overexpressed in pancreatic cancer using quantitative proteomics and apply RNA interference (RNAi) to uncover proteins associated with cancer cell survival.

Methods: Cell surface glycoproteins from 5 pancreatic cancer cell lines were isolated, and differential analyses were performed using mass spectrometry and the "normoid" cell line Hs766T as the comparator.

Reference map for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics.

The accurate mass and time (AMT) tag strategy has been recognized as a powerful tool for high-throughput analysis in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based proteomics. Due to the complexity of the human proteome, this strategy requires highly accurate mass measurements for confident identifications. We have developed a method of building a reference map that allows relaxed criteria for mass errors yet delivers high confidence for peptide identifications.

Drug target identification and quantitative proteomics.

The emerging technologies in proteomic analysis provide great opportunity for the discovery of novel therapeutic drug targets for unmet medical needs through delivering of key information on protein expression, post-translational modifications and protein-protein interactions. This review presents a summary of current quantitative proteomic concepts and mass spectrometric technologies, which enable the acceleration of target discovery. Examples of the strategies and current technologies in the target identification/validation process are provided to illustrate the successful application of proteomics in target identification, in particular for monoclonal antibody therapies.

Proteomic characterization of host response to Yersinia pestis and near neighbors.

Host-pathogen interactions result in protein expression changes within both the host and the pathogen. Here, results from proteomic characterization of host response following exposure to Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, and to two near neighbors, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia enterocolitica, are reported. Human monocyte-like cells were chosen as a model for macrophage immune response to pathogen exposure.

Reactivity of substituted charged phenyl radicals toward components of nucleic acids.

Reactions of differently substituted phenyl radicals with components of nucleic acids have been investigated in the gas phase. A positively charged group located meta with respect to the radical site was employed to allow manipulation of the radicals in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. All of these electrophilic radicals react with sugars via exclusive hydrogen atom abstraction, with adenine and uracil almost exclusively via addition (likely at the C8 and C5 carbons, respectively), and with the nucleoside thymidine by hydrogen atom abstraction and addition at C5 in the base moiety (followed by elimination of (*)CH(3)).

Gas-phase reactions of charged phenyl radicals with neutral biomolecules evaporated by laser-induced acoustic desorption.

A generally applicable method for the study of phenyl radicals' reactions with neutral biomolecules in the gas phase is demonstrated. Neutral biomolecules were evaporated into a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR) by means of laser-induced acoustic desorption (LIAD) and subsequently reacted with trapped charged phenyl radicals. The structural integrity of the evaporated alanylalanine molecules was verified by reaction with dichlorophosphenium ions.