ITRAQ-labeling for biomarker discovery

Abstract

Various mass-tagging approaches have been developed over the last few years that have enabled mass spectrometry-based relative and absolute quanti fi cation of proteins from complex samples. This, in turn, has facilitated proteomics research to address issues ranging from alterations in the proteome of various model systems in response to various stimuli to biomarker discovery studies. Here we describe the use of one such mass-tagging approach, viz., iTRAQ labeling, as applied to cancer biomarker discovery. When applied to a cohort of tens of clinical samples, this technology can provide useful leads that serve as a basis for a more targeted validation-scale study.