Comprehensive proteomic analysis of human dentin

Proteomic analysis of the human body is a significant recent scientific endeavour. In this study, we investigated the proteomic profile of human dentin using modern analytical and mass spectrometric techniques. Five healthy permanent human molars from five adults were cut, pulverized, denaturated with guanidine buffer, and demineralized with EDTA buffer. The extracted proteins were analysed by gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis), digested with trypsin, and separated by liquid chromatography/high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. We identified 289 proteins with high confidence, 90 of which had not been previously detected in human dentin. Nine (currently hypothetical) proteins were identified for the first time in an actual human sample. The proteins have a variety of functions, including calcium-ion binding, formation of the extracellular matrix, formation of the cytoskeleton, cytoskeletal protein binding, immune response, and transport. In conclusion, this is the first use of two-dimensional electrophoresis for investigating human dentin.