Analysis of the plasma proteome using iTRAQ and TMT-based Isobaric labeling.

Area of Science:

• Proteomics
• Biochemistry
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Chemical labeling with isobaric tandem mass tags (e.g., iTRAQ, TMT) has become prevalent in serum and plasma proteomics.
• These techniques are widely applied in clinically oriented research for disease studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the scope of serum and plasma proteomics studies using isobaric tandem mass tags.
• To analyze research areas, methodologies, and performance limitations of these techniques.

Main Methods:

• Review of published literature on serum and plasma proteomics using isobaric tags.
• Analysis of preparative and mass spectrometric approaches employed in these studies.

Main Results:

• Applications span a broad range of diseases, disorders, and infections.
• Studies increasingly quantify over a thousand proteins, offering deeper plasma proteome insights compared to earlier methods.

Conclusions:

• Isobaric tandem mass tags significantly enhance the depth and scope of clinical proteomics.
• Continued advancements in these chemical labeling strategies promise further breakthroughs in understanding disease biomarkers.