Proteomic Profiling Using a Proximity Extension Assay Panel on Serum Samples Stored at -25°C Over Several Decades.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Genomics
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Biobanks contain valuable samples for biomarker research.
• Proteomics assays offer accurate protein quantification from small volumes.
• Long-term storage conditions of biobank samples can impact data reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of archived serum samples from the Janus Serum Bank for proteomics analysis.
• To evaluate the reliability of protein associations with common traits using samples stored for decades under sub-optimal conditions.
• To compare findings with large-scale studies using optimally stored samples.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Olink proximity extension assay to profile serum samples from the Janus Serum Bank.
• Performed association analyses for body mass index, sex, smoking status, and storage time.
• Compared identified protein associations with those from the UK Biobank.

Main Results:

• Identified significant and plausible associations between protein levels and analyzed phenotypes.
• Demonstrated a high correlation between protein associations in Janus Serum Bank samples and UK Biobank data.
• Confirmed the reliability of protein associations despite long-term, sub-optimal sample storage (up to 50 years).

Conclusions:

• Archived biosamples, even those stored under sub-optimal conditions for extended periods, are a valuable resource for biomarker research.
• Modern proteomics assays, like proximity extension assays, can successfully extract reliable protein data from long-term stored samples.
• The Janus Serum Bank and similar archives remain crucial for future disease and risk biomarker discovery.