Isolation of the Brain Secretome from Ex Vivo Brain Slice Cultures

The brain secretome consists of proteins either actively secreted or shed from the cell surface by proteolytic cleavage in the extracellular matrix of the nervous system. These proteins include growth factor receptors and transmembrane proteins, among others, covering a broad spectrum of roles in the development and normal functioning of the central nervous system. The current procedure to extract the secretome from cerebrospinal fluid is complicated and time-consuming, and it is difficult to isolate these proteins from experimental animal brains. In this study, we present a novel protocol for isolating the brain secretome from mouse brain slice cultures. First, the brains were isolated, sliced, and cultured ex vivo. The culture medium was then filtered and concentrated for isolating proteins by centrifugation after a few days. Finally, the isolated proteins were resolved using sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and subsequently probed for purity characterization by western blot. This isolation procedure of the brain secretome from ex vivo brain slice cultures can be used to investigate the effects of the secretome on a variety of neurodevelopmental diseases, such as autism spectrum disorders.