Identification of nitrated proteins in Alzheimer's disease brain using a redox proteomics approach

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present study, using a proteomics approach, we identified enolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, ATP synthase alpha chain, carbonic anhydrase-II, and voltage-dependent anion channel-protein as the targets of nitration in AD hippocampus, a region that shows a extensive deposition of amyloid beta-peptide, compared with the age-matched control brains. Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting techniques were used to validate the correct identification of these proteins. Our results are discussed in context of the role of oxidative stress as one of the important mechanisms of neurodegeneration in AD.