Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Jennifer E Van Eyk

Publications and source records attributed to Jennifer E Van Eyk.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Takotsubo Syndrome: The First Non-Acute Proteomic Analysis by Remote Dried Blood Microsampling.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an under-recognized form of acute-onset heart failure typically precipitated by stress. While recovery of cardiac function is described over the course of weeks, adverse outcomes after apparent recovery are increasingly recognized. However, the pathophysiology of non-acute manifestations remains poorly understood. We used mass-spectrometry-based discovery proteomics from remotely collected non-acute dried blood microsamples to perform a case-control study in 62 participants with a prior TTS episode (median of 2.24 years prior to sample collection) and 47 reference controls. We quantified 398 unique proteins, and found that agnostic clustering techniques showed separation between TTS and reference control samples. This represents the first proteomic characterization of non-acute TTS. Pathway analysis of the 52 differentially regulated proteins demonstrated enrichment of proteins involved in complement activation, nitric oxide signaling, and with antioxidant activity. These enriched pathways may be suggestive of a persistent cardiomyopathy resulting from or predisposing to TTS.

Humans↗

Quantitative proteomics analysis of human endothelial cell membrane rafts: evidence of MARCKS and MRP regulation in the sphingosine 1-phosphate-induced barrier enhancement.

Endothelial cell barrier dysfunction results in the increased vascular permeability observed in inflammation, tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, and atherosclerosis. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a biologically active phosphorylated lipid growth factor released from activated platelets, enhances the endothelial cell barrier integrity in vitro and in vivo. To begin to identify the molecular mechanisms mediating S1P induced endothelial barrier enhancement, quantitative proteomics analysis (iTRAQ) was performed on membrane rafts isolated from human pulmonary artery endothelial cells in the absence or presence of S1P stimulation. Our results demonstrated that S1P mediates rapid and specific recruitment (1 microM, 5 min) of myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate (MARCKS) and MARCKS-related protein (MRP) to membrane rafts. Western blot experiments confirmed these findings with both MARCKS and MRP. Finally, small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of MARCKS or MRP or both attenuates S1P-mediated endothelial cell barrier enhancement. These data suggest the regulation of S1P-mediated endothelial cell barrier enhancement via the cell specific localization of MARCKS and MRP and validate the utility of proteomics approaches in the identification of novel molecular targets.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A rapid, economical, and reproducible method for human serum delipidation and albumin and IgG removal for proteomic analysis.

Serum is a readily available source for diagnostic assays, but the identification of disease-specific serum biomarkers has been impeded by the dominance of human serum albumin (HSA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the serum proteome. Therefore, in order to observe lower-abundance serum proteins, removal or depletion of at least these two proteins is required. However, the depletion method needs to be inexpensive and reproducible. We describe such a protocol that combines delipidation by centrifugation, IgG removal with Protein G Sepharose, and HSA depletion with sodium chloride/ethanol precipitation. The protocol is streamlined to increase reproducibility and is compatible with many proteomic platforms, including two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and high-performance liquid chromatography either offline or coupled online with a mass spectrometer. The reproducible depletion of lipids, IgG, and HSA permits a higher load of the remaining serum proteins, facilitating the identification of disease biomarkers.

Biomarkers↗

A solubility optimization protocol for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of cardiac tissue.

We outline a strategy for the optimization of buffer conditions for the solubilization, extraction, and isoelectric focusing (IEF) of proteins from cardiac tissue for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). This strategy, which involves altering both the extraction and IEF buffers, allows one to ensure representation of the proteome that is as complete as possible. Initial buffer choices are given, as well as basic protocols for modifications. Although these conditions have been effectively demonstrated for human myocardium, in principle this procedure can be used for the initial screen of any new sample of tissue or cultured cells.

Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional↗

A method for the effective depletion of albumin from cellular extracts: application to human myocardium.

Proteomic analysis of large numbers of proteins is assisted if each protein species is present at approximately equal concentrations. As such, the extraction of proteins from tissue samples should be designed to maintain a limited dynamic range in the concentration of proteins present. However, in many tissue extracts a high concentration of serum albumin exists from tissue perfusion and/or an inability to effectively rinse the tissue owing to surgical limitations. The analysis of these tissues would be assisted if contaminating serum albumin could be reduced. This chapter outlines a protocol for the effective reduction of serum albumin levels from human myocardium extracts enriched for soluble cytoplasmic proteins.

Cell Extracts↗

Subfractionation of heart tissue: the "in sequence" myofilament protein extraction of myocardial tissue.

Proteomic analysis of heart tissue is complicated by the large dynamic range of its proteins. The most abundant proteins are the myofilament proteins, which comprise the contractile apparatus. This chapter describes a protocol for fractionation of heart tissue that extracts the myofilament proteins into a separate sample fraction, allowing analysis of lower-abundance proteins. Importantly, this is performed in a manner that is compatible with two-dimensional electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography, two of main technologies of proteomics. The method produces three fractions based on solubility at different pHs: (1) cytoplasmic-enriched extract (neutral pH), (2) myofilament-enriched extract (acidic pH), and (3) membrane protein-enriched pellet. Fractionation of heart tissue in this manner provides the basis for in-depth proteomic analysis.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Optimization of cardiac troponin I pull-down by IDM affinity beads and SELDI.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a key regulator of cardiac muscle contraction. Upon myocardial cell injury, cTnI is lost from the cardiac myocyte and can be detected in serum, in some cases with specific disease-induced modifications, making it an important diagnostic marker for acute myocardial injury. Presently, hospital laboratories use enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to detect cTnI, but this type of analysis lacks information about modified forms of protein (degradation or phosphorylation) that may give a more specific diagnosis from either serum or biopsies. Because cardiac and serum tissues are widely used for proteomic analysis, it is important to detect these cTnI posttranslational modifications. Therefore, we have chosen to optimize the enrichment and detection of cTnI protein by IDM Affinity Bead pull-down and surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS or SELDI) analyses. By adjusting the chemical compositions of the buffers, we have retained antibody specificity and enriched for different forms of cTnI and its associated proteins.

Animals↗

A proteomic primer for the clinician.

Proteomics is a rapidly developing field and it opens new horizons in many research areas of life sciences. In the field of medicine, proteomics promises to accelerate the discovery of new drug targets and protein disease markers useful for in vitro diagnosis. In this article, we review the current proteomics technologies for biomarker discovery and validation, which include two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, one- and two-dimensional liquid chromatography, and proteomic microarrays. We will also review proteomic strategies for protein-protein interactions and identification of post-translational modifications. Selection of the more effective technology or combination of technologies is required to maximize the interpretation and utility of the data.

Biomarkers↗

Time course of degradation of cardiac troponin I in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction: the ASSENT-2 troponin substudy.

Although measurement of troponin is widely used for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI), its diagnostic potential may be increased by a more complete characterization of its molecular appearance and degradation in the blood. The aim of this study was to define the time course of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) degradation in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In the ASSENT-2 substudy, 26 males hospitalized with STEMI were randomized to 2 different thrombolytic drugs within 6 hours after onset of symptoms. Blood samples were obtained just before initiation of thrombolysis and at 30 minutes intervals (7 samples per patient). Western blot analysis was performed using anti-cTnI antibodies and compared with serum concentrations of cTnI. All patients exceeded the cTnI cutoff for AMI during the sampling period; at initiation of therapy, 23 had elevated cTnI values. All patients demonstrated 2 bands on immunoblot: intact cTnI and a single degradation product as early as 90 minutes after onset of symptoms. On subsequent samples, 15 of 26 patients showed multiple degradation products with up to 7 degradation bands. The appearance of fragments was correlated with higher levels of cTnI (P<0.001) and time to initiation of treatment (P=0.058). This study defines for the first time the initial time course of cTnI degradation in STEMI. Intact cTnI and a single degradation product were detectable on immunoblot as early as 90 minutes after onset of symptoms with further degradation after 165 minutes. Infarct size and time to initiation of treatment was the major determinant for degradation.

Adult↗

Expanding the subproteome of the inner mitochondria using protein separation technologies: one- and two-dimensional liquid chromatography and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Currently no single proteomics technology has sufficient analytical power to allow for the detection of an entire proteome of an organelle, cell, or tissue. One approach that can be used to expand proteome coverage is the use of multiple separation technologies especially if there is minimal overlap in the proteins observed by the different methods. Using the inner mitochondrial membrane subproteome as a model proteome, we compared for the first time the ability of three protein separation methods (two-dimensional liquid chromatography using the ProteomeLab PF 2D Protein Fractionation System from Beckman Coulter, one-dimensional reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography, and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis) to determine the relative overlap in protein separation for these technologies. Data from these different methods indicated that a strikingly low number of proteins overlapped with less than 24% of proteins common between any two technologies and only 7% common among all three methods. Utilizing the three technologies allowed the creation of a composite database totaling 348 non-redundant proteins. 82% of these proteins had not been observed previously in proteomics studies of this subproteome, whereas 44% had not been identified in proteomics studies of intact mitochondria. Each protein separation method was found to successfully resolve a unique subset of proteins with the liquid chromatography methods being more suited for the analysis of transmembrane domain proteins and novel protein discovery. We also demonstrated that both the one- and two-dimensional LC allowed for the separation of the alpha-subunit of F1F0 ATP synthase that differed due to a change in pI or hydrophobicity.

Animals↗

Proteomic analysis of pharmacological preconditioning: novel protein targets converge to mitochondrial metabolism pathways.

Ischemic preconditioning is characterized by resistance to ischemia reperfusion injury in response to previous short ischemic episodes, a protective effect that can be mimicked pharmacologically. The underlying mechanism of protection remains controversial and requires greater understanding before it can be fully exploited therapeutically. To investigate the overall effect of preconditioning on the myocardial proteome, isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes were treated with drugs known to induce preconditioning, adenosine or diazoxide (each at 100 micromol/L for 60 minutes). Their protein profiles were then compared with vehicle-treated controls (n=4 animals per treatment) using a multitiered 2D gel electrophoresis approach. Of 28 significantly altered protein spots, 19 nonredundant proteins were identified (5 spots remained unidentified). The majority of these proteins are involved in mitochondrial energetics, including subunits of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes and oxidative phosphorylation complexes. These changes were not indiscriminate, with only a small number of enzymes or complex subunits altered, indicating a very specific and targeted affect of these 2 preconditioning mimetics. Among the changes were shifts in the extent of posttranslational modification of 4 proteins. One of these, the adenosine-induced phosphorylation of the ATP synthase beta subunit, was fully characterized with the identification of 5 novel phosphorylation sites. This proteomics approach provides an overall assessment of the cellular response to pharmacological treatment with adenosine and diazoxide and identifies a distinct subset of enzymes and protein complex subunit that may underlie the preconditioned phenotype.

Adenosine↗

Proteomic evaluation reveals that olfactory ensheathing cells but not Schwann cells express calponin.

Human clinical trials have begun worldwide that use olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) to ameliorate the functional deficits following spinal cord injury. These trials have been initiated largely because numerous studies have reported that OECs transform into Schwann Cell (SC)-like cells that myelinate axons and support new growth in adult rats with spinal injury. This phenomenon is remarkable because OECs do not myelinate olfactory axons in their native environment. Furthermore, these myelinating OECs are morphologically identical to SCs, which can invade the spinal cord after injury. One factor that has contributed to a possible confusion in the identification of these cells is the lack of phenotypic markers to distinguish unequivocally between OECs and SCs. Such markers are required to first assess the degree of SC contamination in OEC cultures before intraspinal implantation, and then to accurately identify grafted OECs and invading SCs in the injured spinal cord. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we have identified calponin, an actin binding protein, as the first definitive phenotypic marker that distinguishes between OECs and SCs in vitro and in vivo. We have also provided ultrastructural evidence that calponin-immunopositive OECs do not transform into myelinating SC-like cells after intraspinal implantation. Rather, the grafted OECs retain their morphological and neurochemical features. These data yield new insight into the phenotypic characteristics of OECs, which together with invading SCs can enhance regeneration of the injured spinal cord.

Animals↗

Guidelines for the next 10 years of proteomics.

In the last ten years, the field of proteomics has expanded at a rapid rate. A range of exciting new technology has been developed and enthusiastically applied to an enormous variety of biological questions. However, the degree of stringency required in proteomic data generation and analysis appears to have been underestimated. As a result, there are likely to be numerous published findings that are of questionable quality, requiring further confirmation and/or validation. This manuscript outlines a number of key issues in proteomic research, including those associated with experimental design, differential display and biomarker discovery, protein identification and analytical incompleteness. In an effort to set a standard that reflects current thinking on the necessary and desirable characteristics of publishable manuscripts in the field, a minimal set of guidelines for proteomics research is then described. These guidelines will serve as a set of criteria which editors of PROTEOMICS will use for assessment of future submissions to the Journal.

Biomarkers↗

MASCOT HTML and XML parser: an implementation of a novel object model for protein identification data.

Protein identification using MS is an important technique in proteomics as well as a major generator of proteomics data. We have designed the protein identification data object model (PDOM) and developed a parser based on this model to facilitate the analysis and storage of these data. The parser works with HTML or XML files saved or exported from MASCOT MS/MS ions search in peptide summary report or MASCOT PMF search in protein summary report. The program creates PDOM objects, eliminates redundancy in the input file, and has the capability to output any PDOM object to a relational database. This program facilitates additional analysis of MASCOT search results and aids the storage of protein identification information. The implementation is extensible and can serve as a template to develop parsers for other search engines. The parser can be used as a stand-alone application or can be driven by other Java programs. It is currently being used as the front end for a system that loads HTML and XML result files of MASCOT searches into a relational database. The source code is freely available at http://www.ccbm.jhu.edu and the program uses only free and open-source Java libraries.

Databases, Protein↗

Optimization of paper bridge loading for 2-DE analysis in the basic pH region: application to the mitochondrial subproteome.

Separation of basic proteins with 2-DE presents technical challenges involving protein precipitation, load limitations, and streaking. Cardiac mitochondria are enriched in basic proteins and difficult to resolve by 2-DE. We investigated two methods, cup and paper bridge, for sample loading of this subproteome into the basic range (pH 6-11) gels. Paper bridge loading consistently produced improved resolution of both analytical and preparative protein loads. A unique benefit of this technique is that proteins retained in the paper bridge after loading basic gels can be reloaded onto lower pH gradients (pH 4-7), allowing valued samples to be analyzed on multiple pH ranges.

Animals↗

Proteomics and heart disease: identifying biomarkers of clinical utility.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the industrialized world. Total worldwide deaths due to this disease are currently estimated at 17 million per year, and this number is expected to increase over the next several decades. To address this epidemic, a major effort has begun to develop new cardiovascular disease markers through the use of proteomic analysis, the global study of proteins. This review discusses strategies, recent technological advances and other issues in plasma/serum biomarker discovery for cardiovascular diseases. Emphasis lies on the needs for standardizing specimen collection, methods for reducing plasma proteome complexity to subproteomes, selection of appropriate technology platforms and strategies to evaluate candidates by multiplexed immune assays. The overall goal of this effort is to identify serum biomarkers for diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring and risk stratification of cardiovascular diseases.

Animals↗

Nitration of tyrosine 92 mediates the activation of rat microsomal glutathione s-transferase by peroxynitrite.

There is increasing evidence that protein function can be modified by nitration of tyrosine residue(s), a reaction catalyzed by proteins with peroxidase activity, or that occurs by interaction with peroxynitrite, a highly reactive oxidant formed by the reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide. Although there are numerous reports describing loss of function after treatment of proteins with peroxynitrite, we recently demonstrated that the microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 is activated rather than inactivated by peroxynitrite and suggested that this could be attributed to nitration of tyrosine residues rather than to other effects of peroxynitrite. In this report, the nitrated tyrosine residues of peroxynitrite-treated microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 were characterized by mass spectrometry and their functional significance determined. Of the seven tyrosine residues present in the protein, only those at positions 92 and 153 were nitrated after treatment with peroxynitrite. Three mutants (Y92F, Y153F, and Y92F, Y153F) were created using site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in LLC-PK1 cells. Treatment of the microsomal fractions of these cells with peroxynitrite resulted in an approximately 2-fold increase in enzyme activity in cells expressing the wild type microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 or the Y153F mutant, whereas the enzyme activity of Y92F and double site mutant was unaffected. These results indicate that activation of microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 by peroxynitrite is mediated by nitration of tyrosine residue 92 and represents one of the few examples in which a gain in function has been associated with nitration of a specific tyrosine residue.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Multidimensional liquid chromatography separation of intact proteins by chromatographic focusing and reversed phase of the human serum proteome: optimization and protein database.

In biomarker discovery, the detection of proteins with low abundance in the serum proteome can be achieved by optimization of protein separation methods as well as selective depletion of the higher abundance proteins such as immunoglobins (e.g. IgG) and albumin. A relative newcomer to the proteomic separation arena is the commercial instrument PF2D from Beckman Coulter that separates proteins in the first dimension using chromatofocusing followed in line by reversed phase chromatography in the second dimension, thereby separating intact proteins based on pI and hydrophobicity. In this study, assessment and optimization of serum separation (undepleted serum and albumin-IgG-depleted serum) by the PF2D is presented. Protein databases were created for serum obtained from a healthy individual under traditional and optimized methods and under different sample preparation protocols. Separation of the doubly depleted serum using the PF2D with 20% isopropanol present in the first dimension running buffer allowed us to unambiguously identify 150 non-redundant serum proteins (excluding all immunoglobulin and albumin, a minimum of two peptide matches with acceptable Mascot score) in which 81 have not been identified previously in serum. Among them, numerous cellular proteins were identified to be specifically the skeletal muscle isoform, such as skeletal muscle fast twitch isoforms of troponin T, myosin alkali light chain 1, and sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase. The detection of specific skeletal muscle protein isoforms in the serum from healthy individuals reflects the physiological turnover that occurs in skeletal muscle, which will have an impact on the ability to use generic "cellular" proteins as biomarkers without further characterization of the precise isoforms or post-translational modifications present.

Albumins↗