A High-Yield Two-Hour Protocol for Extraction of Human Hair Shaft Proteins

PLoS One. 2016 Oct 14;11(10):e0164993. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164993. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Proteome analysis of the human hair remains challenging due to the poor solubility of hair proteins and the difficulty in their extraction. In the present study, we have developed a rapid extraction protocol for hair shaft protein using alkaline-based buffer. The new protocol accelerated the procedure by reducing the extraction time from at least a day to less than two hours and showed a protein recovery of 47.3 ± 3.72%. Further analyses of the extracted protein sample through sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis unveiled a total of 60 proteins, including 25 that were not previously reported. Identification of these proteins is anticipated to be crucial in helping to understand the molecular basis of hair for potential applications in the future.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Hair / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Keratins / analysis
  • Keratins / isolation & purification
  • Keratins / metabolism
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Proteins / analysis*
  • Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / chemistry
  • Solid Phase Extraction / methods
  • Temperature
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
  • Keratins

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS-2015-1 (FP003-2015A)) from the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia as well as the HIR-MOHE H-20001-00-E000009 research grant from the University of Malaya. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.