Oxi-DIGE: A novel proteomic approach for detecting and quantifying carbonylated proteins

Proteins are involved in key cellular functions and our health and wellness depends on their quality. Accumulation of oxidatively damaged proteins is a hallmark of deleterious processes such increased oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, ageing and age-related diseases. Thus, quantifying and identifying oxidized proteins is a biomarker of choice for monitoring biological ageing and/or the efficiency of anti-oxidant, ant-inflammatory and anti-ageing therapies. However, the absence of reliable tools for analyses has inhibited its establishment as the gold standard for measuring the efficacy of anti-ageing and age related diseases interventions. Herein, we present a novel proteomics technology, named Oxi-DIGE?, which provides a significant improvement in terms of specificity, reproducibility and statistical support for proteomic analysis of carbonylated proteins. In Oxi-DIGE, protein carbonyls are labelled with fluorescent hydrazide probes that bind specifically to carbonyl groups in proteins. Experimental groups (e.g. control and experimental samples) are labelled with different flurophore-binded hydrazides that fluoresce light at different wavelengths, producing different colour fluorescence. Thus samples from different experimental groups are co-resolved on a single 2D gel. Increased accuracy is provided due to: (i) reduced false positives by using an exogenous synthetic fluorescent tag; (ii) multiplexing, that is the possibility to run multiple samples on the same gel, (iii) the use of an internal standard on each gel which eliminates inter-gel variations and provides an increased statistical confidence. In addition, the resolution of the carbonyl groups is improved, forming distinct spots that can be identified by mass spectrometry. ?Patent Application (M. Baraibar, R. Ladouce., B. Friguet, A method for detecting and/or quantifying carbonylated proteins (WO/2012/175519) filed by UPMC and referring to the technology described in this abstract.