Analytical validation of protein biomarkers for risk of spontaneous preterm birth

Presented are the validation results of a second-generation assay for determining the relative abundances of two protein biomarkers found in maternal serum that predict an individual's risk of spontaneous preterm birth. The sample preparation workflow is complex, consisting of immuno-depletion of high-abundance serum proteins, tryptic digestion of the immuno-depleted fraction to generate surrogate peptide analytes, and detection by tandem mass spectrometry. The method was determined to be robust on observation of the following characteristics: classifier peptide detection precision was excellent; results were accurate when compared to a reference method; results were linear over a clinically relevant range; the limits of quantitation encompassed the range of expected results; and the method demonstrated analytical specificity and resilience to differences in patient serum and common endogenous interferents.