TMIG-2DPAGE: a new concept of two-dimensional gel protein database for research on aging

Cellular proteins of a normal human diploid fibroblast line (TIG-3) at various stages of replicative aging were resolved by horizontal isoelectric focusing on an immobilized pH gradient, followed by vertical sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Spot proteins were visualized by silver staining and quantitated by image processing. All corresponding spots were matched among two-dimensional gel images, and variation profiles in relative abundance of individual proteins during in vitro aging were classified into five categories, i.e., (i) increase, (ii) decrease, (iii) increase followed by decrease, (iv) decrease followed by increase, and (v) irregular or nonsignificant variation. The new concept of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology two-dimensional gel protein database (TMIG-2DPAGE) was prepared from the above data to support research on cellular aging. The database was put on our World Wide Web home page at the URL of http://www.tmig.or.jp/2D/ to allow free access through the Internet. The individual protein data entries were linked to the standard spot protein map of the two-dimensional gel image in order to be accessible by clicking the mouse on it.