Recent advances in atherosclerosis-based proteomics: new biomarkers and a future perspective

Abstract

Vascular proteomics is providing two main types of data: proteins that actively participate in vascular pathophysiological processes and novel protein candidates that can potentially serve as useful clinical biomarkers. Although both types of proteins can be identified by similar proteomic strategies and methods, it is important to clearly distinguish biomarkers from mediators of disease. A particular protein, or group of proteins, may participate in a pathogenic process but not serve as an effective biomarker. Alternatively, a useful biomarker may not mediate pathogenic pathways associated with disease (i.e., C-reactive protein). To date, there are no clear successful examples in which discovery proteomics has led to a novel useful clinical biomarker in cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, new sources of biomarkers are being explored (i.e., secretomes, circulating cells, exosomes and microparticles), an increasing number of novel proteins involved in atherogenesis are constantly described, and new technologies and analytical strategies (i.e., quantitative proteomics) are being developed to access low abundant proteins. Therefore, this presages a new era of discovery and a further step in the practical application to diagnosis, prognosis and early action by medical treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords::

• atherosclerosis
• biomarker validation
• cardiovascular biomarker
• cardiovascular disease
• imaging mass spectrometry
• vascular proteomics

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author’s papers cited in this work were supported by grants from BFU-2005-08838, Ministerio de Ciencia, CAM (Proteomarkers S2006/GEN-0247), FIS PI070537, Mutua Madrileña Automovilista and FINA-Biotech. Dr Gloria Alvarez-Llamas was supported by Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia through Juan de la Cierva program (ref. JCI-2006-3349). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.