1.5 Proteinanalytik
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- Magnetic resonance imaging (13)
- ELISA (10)
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- Antibody (7)
- Biosensor (7)
- Copper (7)
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Organisationseinheit der BAM
- 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien (125)
- 1.5 Proteinanalytik (125)
- 1.9 Chemische und optische Sensorik (16)
- 1.8 Umweltanalytik (13)
- 6 Materialchemie (11)
- 1.1 Anorganische Spurenanalytik (10)
- 6.3 Strukturanalytik (10)
- 8 Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung (7)
- 8.1 Sensorik, mess- und prüftechnische Verfahren (7)
- 1.7 Organische Spuren- und Lebensmittelanalytik (5)
Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (9)
Homochirality is an obvious feature of life on Earth. On the other hand, extraterrestrial samples contain largely racemic compounds. The same is true for any common organic synthesis. Therefore, it has been a perplexing puzzle for decades how these racemates could have formed enantiomerically enriched fractions as a basis for the origin of homochiral life forms. Numerous hypotheses have been put forward as to how preferentially homochiral molecules could have formed and accumulated on Earth. In this article, it is shown that homochirality of the abiotic organic pool at the time of formation of the first self-replicating molecules is not necessary and not even probable. It is proposed to abandon the notion of a molecular ensemble and to focus on the level of individual molecules. Although the formation of the first self-replicating, most likely homochiral molecule, is a seemingly improbable event, on a closer look, it is almost inevitable that some homochiral molecules have formed simply on a statistical basis. In this case, the non-selective leap to homochirality would be one of the first steps in chemical evolution directly out of a racemic “ocean”. Moreover, most studies focus on the chirality of the primordial monomers with respect to an asymmetric carbon atom. However, any polymer with a minimal size that allows folding to a secondary structure would spontaneously lead to asymmetric higher structures (conformations). Most of the functions of these polymers would be influenced by this inherently asymmetric folding. Furthermore, a concept of physical compartmentalization based on rock nanopores in analogy to nanocavities of digital immunoassays is introduced to suggest that complex cell walls or membranes were also not required for the first steps of chemical evolution. To summarize, simple and universal mechanisms may have led to homochiral self-replicating systems in the context of chemical evolution. A homochiral monomer pool is deemed unnecessary and probably never existed on primordial Earth.
Homochirality is an obvious feature of life on Earth. On the other hand, extraterrestrial samples contain largely racemic compounds. The same is true for any common organic synthesis. Therefore, it has been a perplexing puzzle for decades how these racemates could have formed enantiomerically enriched fractions as a basis for the origin of homochiral life forms. Numerous hypotheses have been put forward as to how preferentially homochiral molecules could have formed and accumulated on Earth. In this article, it is shown that homochirality of the abiotic organic pool at the time of formation of the first self-replicating molecules is not necessary and not even probable. It is proposed to abandon the notion of a molecular ensemble and to focus on the level of individual molecules. Although the formation of the first self-replicating, most likely homochiral molecule is a seemingly improbable event, on a closer look, it is almost inevitable that homochiral molecules have formed simply on a statistical basis. In this case, the non-selective leap to homochirality would be one of the first steps in chemical evolution directly out of a racemic “ocean”. Moreover, most studies focus on the chirality of the primordial monomers with respect to an asymmetric carbon atom. However, any polymer with a minimal size that allows folding to a secondary structure, would spontaneously lead to asymmetric higher structures (conformations). Most of the functions of these polymers would be influenced by this inherently asymmetric folding. To summarize, simple and universal mechanisms may have led to homochiral self-replicating systems in the context of chemical evolution. A homochiral monomer pool is deemed unnecessary and probably never existed on primordial Earth.
Communities worldwide face significant threats from Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), which endanger lives and restrict land usage. From forest fires due to ERWs or in ERW-contaminated areas (e.g., in Jüterbog, Germany) to broader global challenges (e.g., the Ukrainian conflict), the need for efficient detection and removal of these remnants, especially for humanitarian demining, is paramount. Traditional methods, like manual demining, have severe limitations in safety and efficiency. Here, we introduce an innovative solution to these challenges: “Chemosensing Smart Dust.” This technology uses chemoselective dyes that change their fluorescence properties when exposed to explosives like 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Fluorescence-based detection offers superior sensitivity, reduced likelihood of false positives, and enhanced accuracy of explosive detection. Drones, equipped with excitation lasers or LEDs, deploy the Chemosensing Smart Dust over areas of interest and actively detect the fluorescence changes using high-resolution cameras, offering a rapid, safe, and adaptable detection method. Beyond demining, this innovative approach has potential applications in monitoring polluted areas, homeland security, and emergency response.
Antikörper sind in der medizinischen Welt nicht mehr wegzudenken. Ihr Einsatz-Repertoire als Therapeutika für die Behandlung diverser Krankheiten und Infektionen weitet sich von Jahr zu Jahr mehr aus. Dabei basiert ein Großteil der verwendeten Antikörper zu diesem Zeitpunkt auf monoklonalen Antikörpern auf Basis von Hybridomazellen. Doch hier könnten rekombinante Antikörper aufgrund ihrer Vektor-basierten Expression eine vielversprechende und womöglich sogar revolutionierende Alternative bieten. So ergeben sich neue Optimierungsoptionen für Merkmale wie Affinität, Stabilität und Kompatibilität über Anpassungen auf genetischer oder posttranslationaler Ebene. Allerdings ergibt sich kein Anwendungszweck ohne die vorhergehende detaillierte Charakterisierung der Antikörper. Denn nur mit spezifischem Wissen über die diversen Eigenschaften und Wechselwirkungen kann eine effektive und präzise Verwendung in der Diagnostik und Therapeutik gewährleistet werden und auf diese Weise Leben retten.
Aus diesem Grund beschäftigt sich diese Masterarbeit mit der Vertiefung der rekombinanten Antikörper-Thematik. Dazu soll ein Anti-Tetanus-Antikörper erstmals rekombinant in verschiedenen Zelllinien hergestellt und anschließend über umfangreiche analytische Verfahren mit einem Fokus auf die Einflussanalyse der unterschiedlichen posttranslationalen Glykosylierungen charakterisiert werden. Zu diesem Zweck wurden als Grundlage einerseits zwei P1316-Dual-Expressions-Vektoren mit variierenden Insert-Positionen der schweren und leichten Kette durch Gibson-Assembly sowie individuellen pRK5-Plasmide für eine separiert Expression der Antikkörperketten mithilfe Restriktionsfragment-Ligation generiert. In einer Gegenüberstellung der der Expressionsausbeuten stellte sich die Überlegenheit der P1316-Plasmid-Konfiguration heraus, in der das Leichtketten-Insert an der ersten Expressionsstelle positioniert ist. Deshalb wurde dieser Vektor als Ausgangspunkt für die anschließende hochskalierten Herstellung des Anti-Tetanus-Antikörpers in Expi293F-GnTI- und ExpiCHO-S-Zellen verwendet. Ein ELISA bestätigte die Bindungsaktivität der rekombinanten Antikörper am Tetanus-Toxoid unabhängig vom Expressionssystem. Nach einer folgenden Optimierung der für die Aufreinigung verwendeten Protein-A-Affinitätschromatographie, wurde über weitere Charakterisierungsmethoden wie Größenausschlusschromatographie und dynamische Lichtstreuung eine vergleichbare Aggregation aufgrund der sauren Elution aufgezeigt. In diesem Kontext wurde die Notwendigkeit einer Zweistufen-Präparation mit Affinitäts- und Größenausschlusschromatografie für den Erhalt monodisperser Proben verdeutlicht. Zudem wurden die verschiedenen intakten Massen mitsamt ihrer spezifischen Glykan-abhängigen Streumaßen in Relation zum monoklonalen NISTmAB-Referenzantikörper bestimmt. Dabei konnte den Erwartungen nach sowohl die geringere Masse als auch die uniformere Glykosylierung der in Expi293 GnTI- exprimierten Immunoglobuline in Relation zum ExpiCHO-S-Antikörper nachgewiesen werden. Anschließend wurde das Stabilitätsverhalten mittels thermischer Entfaltung und dynamischer Lichtstreuung über einen ausgeweiteten Zeitraum sowie verschiedenen Temperaturen dokumentiert. Grundlegend wurde eine höhere thermische Stabilität der zweiten konstanten Schwerketten-Domäne des aus ExpiCHO-S-Zellen stammenden Antikörpers nachgewiesen. Außerdem konnte eine problemlose Lagerungsfähigkeit beider unterschiedlich glykosylierter Antikörper bei Raumtemperatur für mindestens 4 Wochen festgestellt werden. Des Weiteren wurde die Langzeitlagerung im Rahmen der Auswirkung von Gefrier-Auftau-Zyklen mit gleichbleibenden Methoden sowie zusätzlicher Größenausschlusschromatographie erprobt. Hierbei stellte sich der Erhalt der strukturellen Integrität nach bis zu 15 Zyklen heraus. Allerdings geht die Monodispersität bereits nach wenigen Zyklen verloren, wobei die geringfügiger glykosylierten Expi293F-GnTI-Anti-Tetanus-Antikörper eine stärkere Beeinträchtigung durch multiple Gefrier-Auftau-Zyklen aufwiesen.
Comprehensive evaluation of peptide de novo sequencing tools for monoclonal antibody assembly
(2023)
Monoclonal antibodies are biotechnologically produced proteins with various applications in research, therapeutics and diagnostics. Their ability to recognize and bind to specific molecule structures makes them essential research tools and therapeutic agents. Sequence information of antibodies is helpful for understanding antibody–antigen interactions and ensuring their affinity and specificity. De novo protein sequencing based on mass spectrometry is a valuable method to obtain the amino acid sequence of peptides and proteins without a priori knowledge. In this study, we evaluated six recently developed de novo peptide sequencing algorithms (Novor, pNovo 3, DeepNovo, SMSNet, PointNovo and Casanovo), which were not specifically designed for antibody data. We validated their ability to identify and assemble antibody sequences on three multi-enzymatic data sets. The deep learning-based tools Casanovo and PointNovo showed an increased peptide recall across different enzymes and data sets compared with spectrum-graph-based approaches. We evaluated different error types of de novo peptide sequencing tools and their performance for different numbers of missing cleavage sites, noisy spectra and peptides of various lengths. We achieved a sequence coverage of 97.69–99.53% on the light chains of three different antibody data sets using the de Bruijn assembler ALPS and the predictions from Casanovo. However, low sequence coverage and accuracy on the heavy chains demonstrate that complete de novo protein sequencing remains a challenging issue in proteomics that requires improved de novo error correction, alternative digestion strategies and hybrid approaches such as homology search to achieve high accuracy on long protein sequences.
Chemical modification by peroxynitrite enhances TLR4 activation of the grass pollen allergen Phl p 5
(2023)
The chemical modification of aeroallergens by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) may contribute to the growing prevalence of respiratory allergies in industrialized countries. Post-translational modifications can alter the immunological properties of proteins, but the underlying mechanisms and effects are not well understood. In this study, we investigate the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation of the major birch and grass pollen allergens Bet v 1 and Phl p 5, and how the physiological oxidant peroxynitrite (ONOO–) changes the TLR4 activation through protein nitration and the formation of protein dimers and higher oligomers. Of the two allergens, Bet v 1 exhibited no TLR4 activation, but we found TLR4 activation of Phl p 5, which increased after modification with ONOO– and may play a role in the sensitization against this grass pollen allergen. We attribute the TLR4 activation mainly to the two-domain structure of Phl p 5 which may promote TLR4 dimerization and activation. The enhanced TLR4 signaling of the modified allergen indicates that the ONOO–-induced modifications affect relevant protein-receptor interactions. This may lead to increased sensitization to the grass pollen allergen and thus contribute to the increasing prevalence of allergies in the Anthropocene, the present era of globally pervasive anthropogenic influence on the environment.
Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a crucial biomarker for diagnosing cardiac vascular diseases, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study presents a proof-of-concept chemiluminescence-based immunosensor for rapid and accurate measurement of cTnI, with the potential for online monitoring. The immunosensor incorporates a flow cell design and a sensitive complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) camera for optical readout. A microfluidic setup was established to enable selective and quasi-online determination of cTnI within ten minutes. The sensor was tested with recombinant cTnI in phosphate buffer, demonstrating measurements in the concentration range of 2–25 µg/L, with a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.6 µg/L (23 pmol/L) achieved using the optimized system. The immunosensor exhibited high selectivity, as no cross-reactivity was observed with other recombinant proteins such as cTnT and cTnC at a concentration of 16 µg/L. Measurements with diluted blood plasma and serum yielded an LoD of 60 µg/L (2.4 nmol/L) and 70 µg/L (2.9 nmol/L), respectively. This biosensor offers a promising approach for the rapid and sensitive detection of cTnI, contributing to the diagnosis and management of acute myocardial infarction and other cardiac vascular diseases.
Constant interactions between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) influence the progression of prostate cancer (PCa). One of the key components of the ECM are collagen fibers, since they are responsible for the tissue stiffness, growth, adhesion, proliferation, migration, invasion/metastasis, cell signaling, and immune recruitment of tumor cells. To explore this molecular marker in the content of PCa, we investigated two different tumor volumes (500 mm3 and 1000 mm3) of a xenograft mouse model of PCa with molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a collagen-specific probe. For in vivo MRI evaluation, T1-weighted sequences before and after probe administration were analyzed. No significant signal difference between the two tumor volumes could be found. However, we detected a significant difference between the signal intensity of the peripheral tumor area and the central area of the tumor, at both 500 mm3 (p < 0.01, n = 16) and at 1000 mm3 (p < 0.01, n = 16). The results of our histologic analyses confirmed the in vivo studies: There was no significant difference in the amount of collagen between the two tumor volumes (p > 0.05), but within the tumor, higher collagen expression was observed in the peripheral area compared with the central area of the tumor. Laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry further confirmed these results. The 1000 mm3 tumors contained 2.8 +- 1.0% collagen and the 500 mm3 tumors contained 3.2 +- 1.2% (n = 16). There was a strong correlation between the in vivo MRI data and the ex vivo histological data (y = 0.068x + 1.1; R2 = 0.74) (n = 16). The results of elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry supported the MRI data (y = 3.82x + 0.56; R2 = 0.79; n = 7). MRI with the collagen-specific probe in PCa enables differentiation between different tumor areas. This may help to differentiate tumor from healthy tissue, potentially identifying tumor areas with a specific tumor biology.
Immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) is a widely used technique for purifying polyhistidine-tagged recombinant proteins. However, it often has practical limitations that require complex optimizations and additional steps for purification. In this study, we introduce functionalized corundum particles as a novel, efficient, and economical method for purifying recombinant proteins in a column-free format. The corundum surface is modified with amino silane APTES, followed by EDTA dianhydride, and then loaded with nickel ions. We used the Kaiser test to monitor the modification process and ICP-MS to quantify the metal-binding capacity. To evaluate the system, we used His-tagged protein A/G (PAG) mixed with bovine serum albumin (BSA). The corundum particles exhibited a binding capacity of approximately 3 mg of protein per gram of corundum or 2.4 mg per 1 mL of corundum suspension. We also examined cytoplasm obtained from different E. coli strains as an example of a complex matrix. Varying the imidazole concentration in the loading and washing buffers showed that higher concentrations during loading improved purity. Even with sample volumes as large as one liter, we successfully isolated recombinant proteins down to a concentration of 1 µg/mL. We found higher purity levels with corundum when comparing the corundum material to standard Ni–NTA agarose beads. We successfully purified His6-MBP-mSA2, a fusion protein comprising monomeric streptavidin and maltose-binding protein, from E. coli cytoplasm, demonstrating the method's applicability. We also purified SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD-His8 expressed in human Expi293F cells, confirming its suitability for mammalian cell culture supernatants. The material cost of the nickel-loaded corundum material (without regeneration) is estimated to be less than 30 cents per gram of functionalized support or 10 cents per milligram of isolated protein. Another advantage of this system is the exceptional physical and chemical stability of corundum particles. Overall, we have demonstrated that this novel material offers an efficient, robust, and cost-effective purification platform for His-tagged proteins, even in challenging, complex matrices and large sample volumes with low product concentrations. This method has potential applications in both small laboratories and large-scale industrial settings.
Beschichtete Zellulose Partikel als kolorimetrische passive Sensoren, die mittels optische Kamerasystem einer Drohne erfasst werden. Somit können Gefahrenstoffe, in ersten Versuchen z. B. Säuren aus sicherer Entfernung, kostengünstig und umweltverträglich detektiert werden.
A combination of TLC-bioautography, MALDI-TOF-MS and LC–MS/MS methods was used to identify flavonoids with anti-α-amylase activity in extracts of Lathyrus pratensis L. (herb), L. polyphillus L. (fruits), Thermopsis lanceolata R. Br. (herb) and S. japonica L. (buds). After the TLC-autobiography assay, substances with anti-amylase activity were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS followed by confirmation of the result by LC–MS/MS. Results of the study revealed that the flavonoids apigenin, luteolin, formononetin, genistein and kaempferol display marked anti-α-amylase activity. Formononetin showed the largest activity. Compared with LC–MS/MS, MALDI-TOF-MS is a quick and convenient method; results can be obtained within minutes; and only minor sample amounts are required which allows us to analyse mixtures of substances without preliminary separation. However, the inability to distinguish between isomers is the main limitation of the method.
The cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) is a plant virus explored as a nanotechnological platform. The robust self-assembly mechanism of its capsid protein allows for drug encapsulation and targeted delivery. Additionally, the capsid nanoparticle can be used as a programmable platform to display different molecular moieties. In view of future applications, efficient production and purification of plant viruses are key steps. In established protocols, the need for ultracentrifugation is a significant limitation due to cost, difficult scalability, and safety issues. In addition, the purity of the final virus isolate often remains unclear. Here, an advanced protocol for the purification of the CCMV from infected plant tissue was developed, focusing on efficiency, economy, and final purity. The protocol involves precipitation with PEG 8000, followed by affinity extraction using a novel peptide aptamer. The efficiency of the protocol was validated using size exclusion chromatography, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, reversed-phase HPLC, and sandwich immunoassay. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the final eluate of the affinity column is of exceptional purity (98.4%) determined by HPLC and detection at 220 nm. The scale-up of our proposed method seems to be straightforward, which opens the way to the large-scale production of such nanomaterials. This highly improved protocol may facilitate the use and implementation of plant viruses as nanotechnological platforms for in vitro and in vivo applications.
Quantitative 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR) of Aromatic Amino Acids for Protein Quantification
(2023)
Hydrolysis of protein samples into amino acids facilitates the use of NMR spectroscopy for protein and peptide quantification. Different conditions have been tested for quantifying aromatic amino acids and proteins. The pH-dependent signal shifts in the aromatic region of amino acid samples were examined. A pH of 12 was found to minimize signal overlap of the four aromatic amino acids. Several aromatic compounds, such as terephthalic acid, sulfoisophthalic acid, and benzene tricarboxylic acid, were applied as internal standards. The quantification of amino acids from an amino acid standard was performed. Using the first two suggested internal standards, recovery was ~97% for histidine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine at a concentration of approximately 1 mM in solution. Acidic hydrolysis of a certified reference material (CRM) of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and subsequent quantification of Phe and Tyr yielded recoveries of 98% ± 2% and 88% ± 4%, respectively, at a protein concentration of 16 g/L or 250 µM.
Protein modifications such as oligomerization and tyrosine nitration alter the immune response to allergens and may contribute to the increasing prevalence of allergic diseases. In this mini-review, we summarize and discuss relevant findings for the major birch and grass pollen allergens Bet v 1 and Phl p 5 modified with tetranitromethane (laboratory studies), peroxynitrite (physiological processes), and ozone and nitrogen dioxide environmental conditions). We focus on tyrosine nitration and the formation of protein dimers and higher oligomers via dityrosine cross-linking and the immunological effects studied.
Silicon photonic micro-ring resonators (MRR) developed on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, owing to their high sensitivity and small footprint, show great potential for many chemical and biological sensing applications such as label-free detection in environmental monitoring, biomedical engineering, and food analysis. In this tutorial,we provide the theoretical background and give design guidelines for SOI-based MRR as well as examples of surface functionalization procedures for label-free detection of molecules. After introducing the advantages and perspectives of MRR, fundamentals of MRR are described in detail, followed by an introduction to the fabrication methods, which are based on a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Optimization of MRR for chemical and biological sensing is provided, with special emphasis on the optimization of waveguide geometry. At this point, the difference between chemical bulk sensing and label-free surface sensing is explained, and definitions like waveguide sensitivity, ring sensitivity, overall sensitivity as well as the limit of detection (LoD) of MRR are introduced. Further, we show and explain chemical bulk sensing of sodium chloride (NaCl) in water and provide a recipe for label-free surface sensing.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in men. For detection and diagnosis of PCa, non-invasive methods, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can reduce the risk potential of surgical intervention. To explore the molecular characteristics of the tumor, we investigated the applicability of ferumoxytol in PCa in a xenograft mouse model in two different tumor volumes, 500 mm3 and 1000 mm3. Macrophages play a key role in tumor progression, and they are able to internalize iron-oxide particles, such as ferumoxytol. When evaluating T2*-weighted sequences on MRI, a significant decrease of signal intensity between pre- and post-contrast images for each tumor volume (n = 14; p < 0.001) was measured. We, furthermore, observed a higher signal loss for a tumor volume of 500 mm3 than for 1000 mm3. These findings were confirmed by histological examinations and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The 500 mm3 tumors had 1.5% iron content (n = 14; sigma = 1.1), while the 1000 mm3 tumors contained only 0.4% iron (n = 14; sigma = 0.2). In vivo MRI data demonstrated a correlation with the ex vivo data (R2 = 0.75). The results of elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry correlated strongly with the MRI data (R2 = 0.83) (n = 4). Due to its long retention time in the blood, biodegradability, and low toxicity to patients, ferumoxytol has great potential as a contrast agent for visualization PCa.
Current trends in materials and life sciences are flanked by the need to push detection limits to single molecules or single cells, enable the characterization of increasingly complex matrices or sophisticated nanostructures, speed up the time of analysis, reduce instrument complexity and costs, and improve the reliability of data. This requires suitable analytical tools such as spectroscopic, separation and imaging techniques, mass spectrometry, and hyphenated techniques as well as sensors and their adaptation to application-specific challenges in the environmental, food, consumer product, health sector, nanotechnology, and bioanalysis. Increasing concerns about health threatening known or emerging pollutants in drinking water, consumer products, and food and about the safety of nanomaterials led to a new awareness of the importance of analytical sciences. Another important driver in this direction is the increasing demand by legislation, particularly in view of the 17 sustainable development goals by the United Nations addressing clean energy, industry, and innovation, sustainable cities, clean water, and responsible consumption and production. In this respect, also the development of analytical methods that enable the characterization of material flows in production processes and support recycling concepts of precious raw materials becomes more and more relevant. In the future, this will provide the basis for greener production in the chemical industry utilizing recycled or sustainable starting materials.
This makes analytical chemistry an essential player in terms of the circular economy helping to increase the sustainability of production processes. In the life sciences sector, products based on proteins, such as therapeutic and diagnostic antibodies, increase in importance. These increasingly biotechnologically produced functional biomolecules pose a high level of complexity of matrix and structural features that can be met only by highly advanced methods for separation, characterization, and detection. In addition, metrological traceability and target definition are still significant challenges for the future, particularly in the life sciences.
However, innovative reference materials as required for the health and food sector and the characterization of advanced materials can only be developed when suitable analytical protocols are available. The so-called reproducibility crisis in sciences underlines the importance of improved measures of quality control for all kinds of measurements and material characterization. This calls for thorough method validation concepts, suitable reference materials, and regular interlaboratory comparisons of measurements as well as better training of scientists in analytical sciences.
The important contribution of analytical sciences to these developments is highlighted by a broad collection of research papers, trend articles, and critical reviews from these different application fields. Special emphasis is dedicated to often-overlooked quality assurance and reference materials.
ADAMTS4-specific MR-probe to assess aortic aneurysms in vivo using synthetic peptide libraries
(2022)
The incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has substantially increased during the last 20 years and their rupture remains the third most common cause of sudden death in the cardiovascular field after myocardial infarction and stroke. The only established clinical parameter to assess AAAs is based on the aneurysm size. Novel biomarkers are needed to improve the assessment of the risk of rupture. ADAMTS4 (A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin motifs 4) is a strongly upregulated proteoglycan cleaving enzyme in the unstable course of AAAs. In the screening of a one-bead-one-compound library against ADAMTS4, a low-molecular-weight cyclic peptide is discovered with favorable properties for in vivo molecular magnetic resonance imaging applications. After identification and characterization, it’s potential is evaluated in an AAA mouse model. The ADAMTS4-specific probe enables the in vivo imaging-based prediction of aneurysm expansion and rupture.