Identification of protein biomarkers in human serum using iTRAQ and shotgun mass spectrometry.

Blood serum is one of the easiest accessible sources of biomarkers and its proteome presents a significant parcel of immune system proteins. These proteins can provide not only biological explanation but also diagnostic and drug response answers independently of the type of disease or condition in question. Shotgun mass spectrometry has profoundly contributed to proteome analysis and is presently considered as an indispensible tool in the field of biomarker discovery.

Metabolic, hormonal and stress-related molecular changes in post-mortem pituitary glands from schizophrenia subjects.

Objectives: To identify a molecular profile for schizophrenia using post-mortem pituitaries from schizophrenia and control subjects.

Methods: Molecular profiling analysis of pituitaries from schizophrenia (n = 14) and control (n = 15) subjects was carried out using a combination of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS(E)), multiplex analyte profiling (MAP), two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and Western blot analysis.

Results: This led to identification of differentially expressed molecules in schizophrenia patients including hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis-associated constituents such as cortisol, pro-adrenocorticotropic hormone, arginine vasopressin precursor, agouti-related protein, growth hormone, prolactin and secretagogin, as well as molecules associated with lipid transport and metabolism such as apolipoproteins A1, A2, C3 and H.

Characterization of the human serum depletome by label-free shotgun proteomics.

While it is known that immunoaffinity depletion of abundant proteins in serum removes additional proteins beyond those targeted, there has been little characterization of the co-depleted proteins in the high abundant fraction, which we refer to here as the "depletome". We present evidence of co-depletion of non-targeted proteins in human serum using a top-20 immunodepletion column, as shown by label-free liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS(E)) profiling. This led to identification of 147 proteins which were specific for this fraction and comprised proteins with functions predominantly in binding and transport of nucleotides, metal ions, carbohydrates and lipids.

Atomic resolution insight into host cell recognition by Toxoplasma gondii.

The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, a member of the phylum Apicomplexa that includes Plasmodium spp., is one of the most widespread parasites and the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. Micronemal proteins (MICs) are released onto the parasite surface just before invasion of host cells and play important roles in host cell recognition, attachment and penetration.

Characterization of a carcinogenesis rat model of ovarian preneoplasia and neoplasia.

Animal models of ovarian cancer are crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of the disease and for testing new treatment strategies. A model of ovarian carcinogenesis in the rat was modified and improved to yield ovarian preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions that pathogenetically resemble human ovarian cancer. A significantly lower dose (2 to 5 mug per ovary) of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) was applied to the one ovary to maximally preserve its structural integrity.