In-source decay causes artifacts in SELDI-TOF MS spectra

SELDI-TOF MS is a mass spectrometric technique which has been extensively used for biomarker discovery. In this study, we show that in-source decay is an important source for the generation of additional spectral peaks with this technique, both for pure proteins and proteins in serum samples. Thus, SELDI-TOF MS could be used to gain sequence information from proteins, but the results also question the uncritical use of SELDI-TOF MS as a general method for the detection of biomarkers.