Application of proteomics and protein analysis for biomarker and target finding for immunotherapy

Methods Mol Med. 2005:109:155-74. doi: 10.1385/1-59259-862-5:155.

Abstract

Regulatory T-cells play a central role in the maintenance of the immunological balance and are powerful inhibitors of T-cell activation both in vivo and in vitro. The enhancement of suppressor-cell function might be a target for immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases like multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease.The method of choice to elucidate the still unclear effector functions of regulatory T-cells is the differential proteome analyses performed with human and murine T-cell populations. To this end, whole-protein extracts of conventional and regulatory T-cells are separated by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis according to Klose. The proteomes are analyzed by a 2DE gel image analysis software, ProteomWeaver. The protein spots that are found differentially expressed are picked from the gels and prepared for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometrical analysis automatically. The high-resolution 2DE-PAGE and the automated spot handling and protein identification allows one to rapidly find new potential candidate proteins that are of functional relevance for regulatory T-cells, to be used as targets for drug development or as biomarkers for research and diagnostic purposes.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Buffers
  • Databases, Protein
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Isoelectric Focusing
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Proteins / analysis*
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / immunology
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteome / analysis
  • Proteome / immunology
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Staining and Labeling

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Buffers
  • Proteins
  • Proteome