Untitled

Abstract

Over two million Americans are afflicted with schizophrenia, a debilitating mental health disorder with a unique symptomatic and epidemiological profile. Genomics studies have hinted towards candidate schizophrenia susceptibility chromosomal loci and genes. Modern proteomic tools, particularly mass spectrometry and expression scanning, aim to identify both pathogenic-revealing and diagnostically significant biomarkers. Only a few studies on basic proteomics have been conducted for psychiatric disorders relative to the plethora of cancer specific experiments. One such proteomic utility enables the discovery of proteins and biological marker fingerprinting profiling techniques (SELDI-TOF-MS), and then subjects them to tandem mass spectrometric fragmentation and de novo protein sequencing (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS) for the accurate identification and characterization of the proteins. Such utilities can explain the pathogenesis of neuro-psychiatric disease, provide more objective testing methods, and further demonstrate a biological basis to mental illness. Although clinical proteomics in schizophrenia have yet to reveal a biomarker with diagnostic specificity, methods that better characterize the disorder using endophenotypes can advance findings. Schizophrenia biomarkers could potentially revolutionize its psychopharmacology, changing it into a more hypothesis and genomic/proteomic-driven science.

Mass spectrometric analysis of prefrontal cortex proteins in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

“…Proteomic approaches are able to characterize post-translational modifications, a method by which the cell dynamically and quickly modifies protein function and regulates both creation and degradation in response to cellular perturbations (e.g. disease provocation) (see (Lakhan [2006]) for review).…”

Biomarkers and schizophrenia: a qualitative review

“…Proteomic techniques are becoming increasingly popular for biomarker identification [80]. For example, a recent investigation found higher expression of N-terminal fragments of fibrinogen in serum of first onset, drug-naïve SCZ patients [81].…”

Proteomics and Its Applications in Diagnosis of Auto Immune Diseases

“…A promising area is the application of advanced mass spectrometric and other quantitative proteomic methodologies to laboratory diagnostics [29] [30]. The major proteomic projects of the last decade have shaped proteome-wide sequencing, mapping, and analysis [31]. For example, the creation of the Human Proteome Organization's Human Brain Proteome Project fosters the effective international exchange of brain related proteomic data [31].…”

“…The major proteomic projects of the last decade have shaped proteome-wide sequencing, mapping, and analysis [31]. For example, the creation of the Human Proteome Organization's Human Brain Proteome Project fosters the effective international exchange of brain related proteomic data [31]. Complex diseases are now rapidly investigated by novel high-throughput biochemical technologies to uncover disease activity, clinical markers, and drug targets.…”