Mass spectrometry for translational proteomics: progress and clinical implications.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Science

Background:

• Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has gained recognition for its high sensitivity, specificity, and throughput in biological and biomedical research.
• Proteomic measurements are crucial for understanding cellular responses, disease mechanisms, and post-translational modifications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state of MS-based proteomics, including its advantages and limitations.
• To highlight the translational applications of MS-based proteomics in protein biomarker studies.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on mass spectrometry techniques for proteomic analysis.
• Discussion of technological improvements in sample processing, instrumentation, data acquisition, and informatics.
• Analysis of targeted and global quantitative MS approaches for biomarker verification and discovery.

Main Results:

• MS-based proteomics is valuable for biomarker verification (targeted analysis) but faces challenges in biomarker discovery (global quantitative analysis).
• Technological advancements are continuously improving MS applications, enhancing protein change detection.
• Promising biomarker candidates can be discovered, verified pre-clinically, and used in clinical studies.

Conclusions:

• MS-based proteomics holds significant promise for advancing early disease diagnosis, drug development, and therapeutic interventions.
• Continued development of MS technologies and informatics will further enhance its clinical utility.
• MS-based proteomics is a powerful tool for translational research in protein biomarker studies.