大鼠、豚鼠和金黄地鼠的尿液蛋白质组比较

生物标志物是指与生理或病理变化相关的可监测的变化。尿液作为机体的一种排泄物,不受稳态机制的调节,可以反映机体的多种变化。动物模型可以模拟人类疾病过程,监测疾病的变化,并为早期诊断提供线索。大鼠作为常用的模型动物并非所有疾病的优势模型动物,因此比较大鼠与其他动物的尿液蛋白质组,从而为其他疾病选择优势模型动物提供线索。文中通过膜上酶切切成肽段再通过液相色谱与串联质谱偶联技术(LC-MS/MS)分析肽段信息,比较大鼠、豚鼠和金黄地鼠的尿液蛋白,结果显示3种鼠的尿蛋白数量不同,在机体不同系统中表达情况不同,参与的生物功能也不同。这为不同疾病选择不同的优势模型动物提供了依据。     

大鼠脑皮质表达蛋白质组学研究

文章用蛋白质组学方法初步分析大鼠脑皮质蛋白质的表达。提取大鼠脑皮质蛋白质,双向凝胶电泳分离,考马斯亮蓝染色,胰蛋白酶胶内酶解,用基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱对酶解后的肽段进行分析,根据肽质量指纹图谱,检索专业数据库(Swissprot),对蛋白质进行鉴定。鉴定出84个蛋白,分别属于代谢酶、细胞骨架蛋白、热休克蛋白、抗氧化蛋白、信号传导蛋白、蛋白酶体相关蛋白、神经元特异蛋白及神经胶质蛋白等。文章结果丰富了大鼠脑皮质蛋白质组数据库,为在大鼠模型上研究神经疾病奠定了基础。     

人工会成柞蚕杀菌肽D基因的克隆及在大肠杆菌中的表达

以质粒pWR450为载体,克隆了人工合成的柞蚕杀菌肽D基因(122bp),构建的重组子pWR450-Cec转化大肠杆菌JM103、用限制性内切酶酶切鉴定。产物经SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳,结果显示可表达杀菌肽-β-gal融合蛋白。     

蛋白质胶内酶切技术研究进展

胶内酶切是蛋白质组研究中衔接电泳分离和质谱鉴定的重要环节,对最终的蛋白质定性和定量分析结果有显著的影响。该技术自1992年初步建立以来,一直处于不断完善中,出现了种类繁多的改进方案。为了更有效地利用胶内酶切技术,从凝胶脱色、杂质去除、蛋白酶切、肽段提取4个方面归纳整理了近年来蛋白质胶内酶切技术的主要研究进展。     

几种肿瘤生物标志物研究方法及结果的比较

在肿瘤的预防、诊断和治疗中,生物标志物有着极其重要的作用。生物标志物的研究可以通过人或者动物模型的体液、组织或细胞等进行。体液包括血液与尿液等,研究者们主要关注血液,对于尿液不够重视,但理论上尿液不受机体稳态机制的调控,应该可以更早更敏感地反映机体因疾病所产生的变化,是生物标志物更为理想的来源。研究者们也直接从细胞培养的条件培养基、组织或者器官灌流液等处寻找差异蛋白质作为候选标志物。本文试图通过对肿瘤细胞的条件培养基、大鼠模型肝脏灌流液、尿液筛选差异蛋白质作为生物标志物的结果和方法进行比较,分析三者的优缺点,为以后的标志物研究提供线索。     

抗凝剂引起的蛋白变化可以在尿中更敏感地监测

生物标志物是指与生理或者病理生理过程相联系的可监测的变化,最常用于检测生物标志物的体液是血液.但血液有严格的稳态调节,理论上不允许较大的变化在血液中持续存在.尿液则没有稳态的调节,并且尿液的一部分是血液滤过物,因此它在一定程度上可以反映血液或者整个机体的状态.本实验通过抗凝剂肝素或阿加曲班改变雌性SD大鼠的凝血状态,用蛋白质组学的方法检测给药前后血液和尿液中蛋白的改变.在同样的鉴定策略及分析条件下,尿液中发现更多的变化蛋白.在阿加曲班干预组中,检测到尿液中变化的蛋白有62个,血液中变化的蛋白仅有1个.在肝素干预组中,尿液中变化的蛋白有27个,血液中变化的蛋白仅有3个.Western blot显示,转铁蛋白(transferrin)和血红素结合蛋白(hemopexin)在血液和尿液中的变化趋势与质谱结果一致.本实验提示尿液是更敏感的蛋白生物标志物的来源.     

大鼠海马的表达蛋白质组学实验研究

目的：用蛋白质组学方法初步分析大鼠海马蛋白质的表达。方法：提取大鼠海马蛋白质样品后,用双向凝胶电泳对其分离,经考马斯亮蓝染色后,产生大鼠海马蛋白质双向凝胶电泳图谱。从凝胶上切割分离的蛋白质,经胰蛋白酶胶内酶解,通过基质辅助激光解吸／电离飞行时间质谱（MALDI-TOF-MS）对酶解后的肽段进行分析。根据肽段质谱数据,经数据库（NCBI）检索,对蛋白质进行鉴定。结果：鉴定了37种具有明确功能的蛋白质,它们分别属于代谢酶、细胞骨架蛋白、热休克蛋白、抗氧化蛋白、信号传导蛋白、蛋白酶体相关蛋白、神经元特异蛋白及神经胶质蛋白。另外,鉴定了3种未知功能蛋白。结论：为建立大鼠海马蛋白质组数据库提供必要的资料,为在大鼠模型上研究神经疾病发病机理奠定基础。     

葡萄糖修饰人血浆载脂蛋白的肽类标志物

目的:研究葡萄糖对血浆中载脂蛋白的修饰作用,寻找标志性肽段,作为临床诊断糖尿病以及衰老相关疾病的生物标志物。方法:将蛋白质组学和生物信息学相结合,采用LC/MS联用技术寻找差异肽段。结果:载脂蛋白(APOA1)与葡萄糖发生糖基化反应,导致正常肽段的含量发生变化,并生成早期糖基化产物果糖胺。而糖尿病人体内的APOA1也同样会发生这种非酶糖基化修饰,其中的一些肽段也出现类似的变化情况。结论:筛选出五个肽段,将有可能作为临床诊断糖尿病以及与衰老相关疾病的生物标志物。     

不同微生物大鼠腹腔注射模型尿液蛋白组学的比较

不同的微生物都可以引起腹腔感染,文中尝试利用尿液来区分不同的微生物感染。通过在大鼠腹腔内分别注射大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和白色念球菌建立3种模型,收集感染后0、12、36、72 h的尿液,并使用液相色谱串联质谱技术 (LC-MS/MS) 对尿蛋白进行分析。与感染前相比,在大肠杆菌腹腔注射模型中共鉴定到69个差异蛋白,在金黄色葡萄球菌腹腔注射模型中共鉴定到31个差异蛋白,在白色念球菌腹腔注射模型中共鉴定到38个差异蛋白。结果表明,腹腔注射不同的微生物时尿蛋白质组不同,提示尿液可能对不同的腹腔感染有鉴别诊断的潜能。     

大鼠同种异体肝移植急性排异反应的蛋白质组学研究

为更好的理解原位肝移植免疫排异反应的分子机理, 分别建立了大鼠同种异体肝移植的动物模型作为急性排异组和大鼠同基因移植的动物模型作为非排异对照组. 利用荧光差异显示双向凝胶电泳并整合内标法与正、反相荧光标记, 对急性排异组和对照组大鼠肝移植后的肝组织蛋白质表达谱进行了定量蛋白质组学研究. 结果表明, 有27个蛋白点的表达水平在急性排异组有显著差异, 其中13个蛋白点表达水平上调, 与对照组相比比值变化超过1.5倍以上, 而14个蛋白点表达水平下调, 其相应比值变化超过至少1.5倍以上. 19个差异表达蛋白经胶内酶切后, 利用基质辅助激光解析电离飞行时间质谱获得相应的肽指纹图谱并结合数据库搜索得到鉴定. 这些差异蛋白的分子功能主要表现为氧化还原活性及离子结合活性. 实验结果将有助于进一步了解器官移植排异反应的分子机理.     

Isolation and characterization of human urine extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (ECV) reflect physiological or pathological conditions, emerging as potential biomarkers for disease. They can be obtained from a variety of body fluids, particularly urine that is an ideal source because it can be obtained in great quantities, recurrently and with minimal intervention. However, the characterization of urine ECV is challenging because the preparation is usually contaminated with soluble proteins, such as uromodulin (UMOD) or Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein that forms large extracellular filaments co-sedimenting with ECV. We developed a method to obtain human urine ECV free of UMOD by the addition of ZnSO₄ prior to vesicle isolation by differential centrifugation. Treatment with ZnSO₄ did not affect the size and concentration of the vesicle preparation and preserved the storage of the samples at low temperatures. We did not observe a variation in the number of vesicles isolated during different times of the day or different days between different donors. The glycoprotein pattern of urine ECV was characterized by binding to concanavalin A (Con A) and mass spectroscopy. Several markers were found, including dipeptidyl peptidase IV (CD26), vacuolar protein sorting factor 4A (VPS4A) and dipeptidase 1 (DPEP1), and galectin 3 binding protein (G3-BP). The levels of VPS4A and DPEP1 were similar in ECV preparations obtained from several donors of both sexes. Con A binding pattern and monosaccharide composition were also comparable between subjects. In summary, our method for the isolation of highly pure ECV derived from human urine is likely to help in the use of these vesicles as potential biomarkers.     

Screening for potential serum biomarkers in rat mesangial proliferative nephritis

Mesangial proliferative nephritis (MesPGN) is a common kidney disease worldwide. The main feature of the disease is mesangial cell proliferation‐induced injury to kidney function. In this study, we explored serum biomarkers for kidney function injury in anti‐Thy1 nephritis. We found that mesangial proliferation were increased on days 5 and 7, and recovered by day 14 in anti‐Thy1 nephritis. 24‐h urine protein, the ratio of urine protein to urine creatine, serum creatine, and blood urea nitrogen, were increased at days 5 and 7 in the model. We found that TXN, BET1, PrRP, VGF, and NPS differed strongly from controls on days 5 and, associated with kidney injury when detected by SELDI‐TOF MS. Moreover, we applied LC‐MS to detect differential protein expression and found A2M, C3, ITIH4, ITIH3, VDBP, AFM, and SERPINF2 to be upregulated, and ES1, HPX, SERPINC1, SERPINA1F, SERPINA4, SERPINA3K, SPI, TF, VNN3, SERPINF1, and PON1 to be downregulated, on days 5 and 7, associated with kidney injury. The levels of VNN3 and VDBP were validated by Western blotting. Overall, this study explored a group of candidate biomarkers of mesangial proliferation inducing kidney injury, to provide the basis of an assessment model for MesPGN in the future.     

Establishment of a near-standard two-dimensional human urine proteomic map

A proteomic map for human urine on two-dimensional (2-D) gels has been developed. Initial studies demonstrated that the urine proteins prepared by conventional methods showed interference and poor reproducibility in 2-D electrophoresis (2-DE). To address this issue, urine samples were dialyzed to remove any interfering molecules. The dialysis of urine proteins and the concentration by lyophilization without fractionation significantly improved the reproducibility and resolution and likely represents the total urine proteins on a 2-D gel. In addition, removing albumin from urine using Affi-Gel Blue helped to identify the low-abundant proteins. Using the developed method, we prepared proteins from urine collected from healthy females and males. The large inter- and intra-subject variation in protein profiles on 2-D gels made it difficult to establish a normal human urine proteomic 2-D map. To resolve this problem, urinary proteins were prepared from the pooled urine collected from 20 healthy females and males, respectively. The established male and female urine proteomes separated on 2-D gels were almost identical except for some potential sex-dependent protein spots. We have annotated 113 different proteins on the 2-D gel by peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF). We propose that the established total urine proteome can be used for 2-DE analysis, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and identification of novel disease-specific biomarkers.     

Human urine proteomics: building a list of human urine cancer biomarkers

In the last decade, several reports have focused on the identification and characterization of proteins present in urine. In an effort to build a list of proteins of interest as biomarkers, we reviewed the largest urine proteomes and built two updated lists of proteins of interest (available as supplementary tables). The first table includes a consensus list of 443 proteins found in urine by independent laboratories and reported on the top three largest urine proteomes currently published. This consensus list of proteins could serve as biomarkers to diagnose, monitor and manage a number of diseases. Here, we focus on a reduced list of 35 proteins with potential interest as cancer biomarkers in urine following two criteria: first, proteins previously detected in urine using bottom-up proteomic experiments, and second, those suggested as cancer protein biomarkers in human plasma. In an effort to standardize the information presented and its use in future studies, here we include the updated International Protein Index (v. 3.80) and primary Swiss-Prot accession numbers, official gene symbols and recommended full names. The main variables that influence urine proteomic experiments are also discussed.     

Optimizing a Proteomics Platform for Urine Biomarker Discovery

Biomarker discovery approaches in urine have been hindered by concerns for reproducibility and inadequate standardization of proteomics protocols. In this study, we describe an optimized quantitative proteomics strategy for urine biomarker discovery, which is applicable to fresh or long frozen samples. We used urine from healthy controls to standardize iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) for variation induced by protease inhibitors, starting protein and iTRAQ label quantities, protein extraction methods, and depletion of albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG). We observed the following: (a) Absence of protease inhibitors did not affect the number or identity of the high confidence proteins. (b) Use of less than 20 μg of protein per sample led to a significant drop in the number of identified proteins. (c) Use of as little as a quarter unit of an iTRAQ label did not affect the number or identity of the identified proteins. (d) Protein extraction by methanol precipitation led to the highest protein yields and the most reproducible spectra. (e) Depletion of albumin and IgG did not increase the number of identified proteins or deepen the proteome coverage. Applying this optimized protocol to four pairs of long frozen urine samples from diabetic Pima Indians with or without nephropathy, we observed patterns suggesting segregation of cases and controls by iTRAQ spectra. We also identified several previously reported candidate biomarkers that showed trends toward differential expression, albeit not reaching statistical significance in this small sample set.With ongoing advances in mass spectrometry (MS) and proteomics technology, proteomics analysis is progressively occupying a central position in biomarker discovery platforms. Biofluids such as urine and blood are the preferred media for proteomics analysis because of their ease of collection and extensive history of use in clinical laboratory practice. Urine, in particular, is an information-rich fluid that can be collected non-invasively and in large quantities. Many urine proteins are produced or shed in the kidney and urogenital tract (1), making urine a promising proximal source of biomarkers for diseases affecting these structures.However, proteomics-based biomarker discovery in urine faces multiple challenges. Urine proteomics is complicated by low urine protein concentration, variations in pH, and high concentrations of salts and urea or other urine components that interfere with sample processing. The urine proteome can also change with individual variables such as hydration, diurnal change, diet, and physical activity as well as variation in sample collection, processing, and storage. In addition, urine proteomics shares the usual challenges of biomarker discovery in other biofluids such as throughput, cost, and the need for a reproducible and quantitative work flow.Isotopic or isobaric labeling methods to reduce variation, increase throughput, and enable quantitative analysis have been developed to address some of these challenges. One such method, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)¹ (2), combines relative and absolute peptide quantification with multiplexing ability to enable an increased throughput as well as simultaneous comparison of up to eight samples within one experimental run. Variations induced by urine sample processing have been systematically evaluated for proteomics analyses using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (3–6), differential gel electrophoresis (7), and liquid chromatography-coupled mass spectrometry (LC-MS) (5, 8, 9). However, no systematic analyses of urine sample collection and processing have been reported for iTRAQ.Before utilizing iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics for urine biomarker discovery, we evaluated the impact of variation in several processing steps (addition of protease inhibitors, the starting protein quantities, quantity of the iTRAQ label, protein extraction methods, and depletion of abundant proteins) on iTRAQ protein identification and quantitation. Applying this optimized biomarker discovery protocol to small quantities of long frozen urine samples from the Pima longitudinal study of diabetic nephropathy, we observed patterns suggestive of segregation of cases and controls by iTRAQ spectra. We also observed trends toward differential expression in several proteins that had been identified as putative biomarkers in previous studies. However, given the small sample size, none of these proteins retained statistical significance after multiple testing correction.     

Mediators and biomarkers of inflammation in meningitis: Cytokine and peptidome profiling of cerebrospinal fluid

Differential diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis is an urgent problem of the modern clinical medicine. Early and accurate detection of meningitis etiology largely determines the strategy of its treatment and significantly increases the likelihood of a favorable outcome for the patient. In the present work, we analyzed the peptidome and cytokine profiles of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 17 patients with meningitis of bacterial and viral etiology and of 20 neurologically healthy controls. In addition to the identified peptides (potential biomarkers), we found significant differences in the cytokine status of the CSF of the patients. We found that cut-off of 100 pg/ml of IL-1β, TNF, and GM-CSF levels discriminates bacterial and viral meningitis with 100% specificity and selectivity. We demonstrated for the first time the reduction in the level of two cytokines, IL-13 and GM-CSF, in the CSF of patients with viral meningitis in comparison with the controls. The decrease in GM-CSF level in the CSF of patients with viral meningitis can be explained by a disproportionate increase in the levels of cytokines IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-4, which inhibit the GM-CSF expression, whereas IL-1, IL-6, and TNF activate it. These observations suggest an additional approach for differential diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis based on the normalized ratio IL-10/IL-1β and IL-10/TNF > 1, as well as on the ratio IFN-γ/IL-1β and IFN-γ/ TNF < 0.1. Our findings extend the panel of promising clinical and diagnostic biomarkers of viral and bacterial meningitis and reveal opposite changes in the cytokine expression in meningitis due to compensatory action of proand antiinflammatory factors.     

Discovery of urinary biomarkers

A myriad of proteins and peptides can be identified in normal human urine. These are derived from a variety of sources including glomerular filtration of blood plasma, cell sloughing, apoptosis, proteolytic cleavage of cell surface glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked proteins, and secretion of exosomes by epithelial cells. Mass spectrometry-based approaches to urinary protein and peptide profiling can, in principle, reveal changes in excretion rates of specific proteins/peptides that can have predictive value in the clinical arena, e.g. in the early diagnosis of disease, in classification of disease with regard to likely therapeutic responses, in assessment of prognosis, and in monitoring response to therapy. These approaches have potential value, not only in diseases of the kidney and urinary tract but also in systemic diseases that are associated with circulating small protein and peptide markers that can pass the glomerular filter. Most large scale biomarker discovery studies reported thus far have used one of two approaches to identify proteins and peptides whose excretion in urine changes in specific disease states: 1) two-dimensional electrophoresis with mass spectrometric and/or immunochemical identification of proteins and 2) top-down mass spectrometric methods (SELDI-TOF-MS and capillary electrophoresis-MS). These studies have been chiefly in the areas of nephrology, urology, and oncology. We review these applications, focusing on two areas of progress, viz. in bladder cancer and in acute rejection of renal transplants. Progress has been limited so far. However, with the advent of powerful LC-MS/MS methods along with methods for quantifying LC-MS/MS output, there is hope for an accelerated discovery and validation of disease biomarkers in urine.     

Changes of proteins induced by anticoagulants can be more sensitively detected in urine than in plasma

The most fundamental property of biomarkers is change. But changes are hard to maintain in plasma since it is strictly controlled by homeostatic mechanisms of the body. There is no homeostatic mechanism for urine. Besides, urine is partly a filtration of blood, and systematic information can be reflected in urine. We hypothesize that change of blood can be reflected in urine more sensitively. Here we introduce the interference into the blood by two anticoagulants heparin or argatroban. Plasma and urine proteins were profiled by LC-MS/MS and then validated by Western blot in totally six SD female rats before and after the drug treatments. In argatroban treated group, with exactly the same experimental procedure and the same cutoff value for both plasma and urine proteins, 62 proteins changed in urine, only one of which changed in plasma. In heparin treated group, 27 proteins changed in urine but only three other proteins changed in plasma. Both LC-MS/MS and Western blot analyses demonstrated drug-induced increases in transferrin and hemopexin levels in urine but not in plasma. Our data indicates that urine may serve as a source for more sensitive detection of protein biomarkers than plasma.     

Early urinary candidate biomarker discovery in a rat thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis model

Biomarker is the change associated with the disease. Blood is relatively stable because of the homeostatic mechanisms of the body. However, urine accumulates changes of the body, which makes it a better early biomarker source. Liver fibrosis is a reversible pathological condition, whereas cirrhosis, the end-stage of liver fibrosis, is irreversible. Consequently, noninvasive early biomarkers for fibrosis are desperately needed. In this study, differential urinary proteins were identified in the thioacetamide liver fibrosis rat model using tandem mass tagging and two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 766 urinary proteins were identified, 143 and 118 of which were significantly changed in the TAA 1-week and 3-week groups, respectively. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-targeted proteomics was used to further validate the abundant differentially expressed proteins. A total of 40 urinary proteins were statistically significant, 15 of which had been previously reported as biomarkers of liver fibrosis, cirrhosis or other related diseases and 10 of which had been reported to be associated with the pathology and mechanism of liver fibrosis. These differential proteins were detected in urine before the alanine aminotransferase and aspartate transaminase changes in the serum and before fibrosis was observed upon hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson’s staining.