A Comprehensive Analytical Strategy To Identify Malondialdehyde-Modified Proteins and Peptides

Anal Chem. 2017 Apr 4;89(7):3847-3852. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b05065. Epub 2017 Mar 15.

Abstract

Mass spectrometric-based proteomics is a powerful tool to analyze post-translationally modified proteins. Carbonylation modifications that result from oxidative lipid breakdown are a class of post-translational modifications that are poorly characterized with respect to protein targets and function. This is partly due to the lack of dedicated mass spectrometry-based technologies to facilitate the analysis of these modifications. Here, we present a comprehensive approach to identify malondialdehyde-modified proteins and peptides. Malondialdehyde is among the most abundant of the lipid peroxidation products; and malondialdehyde-derived adducts on proteins have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and other clinical conditions. Our integrated approach targets three levels of the overall proteomic workflow: (i) sample preparation, by employing a targeted enrichment strategy; (ii) high-performance liquid chromatography, by using a gradient optimized for the separation of the modified peptides; and (iii) tandem mass spectrometry, by improving the spectral quality of very low-abundance peptides. By applying the optimized procedure to a whole cell lysate spiked with a low amount of malondialdehyde-modified proteins, we were able to identify up to 350 different modified peptides and localize the modification to a specific lysine residue. This methodology allows the comprehensive analysis of malondialdehyde-modified proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Malondialdehyde / analysis*
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Molecular Structure
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Proteins / chemistry*

Substances

  • Peptides
  • Proteins
  • Malondialdehyde