title: Applying proteomics technology to platelet research.
abstract: Platelets are small enucleated cells that circulate in the blood, where they play a key role in hemostasis and contribute to the formation of vascular plugs. Pathologically, they are involved in thrombosis and heart disease. Because platelets do not have a nucleus, proteomics offers a powerful way to approach their biology. Proteomics technology is based on the huge analytical power offered by mass spectrometry in combination with several separation techniques, such as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DGE) or multidimensional liquid chromatography. Proteomics provides information about the complete set of proteins present in platelets, the platelet proteome, including post-translational variants. Over the last years, several research groups have applied proteomics to platelet research. A detailed analysis of the general proteome and signaling cascades in human platelets will improve our knowledge of platelet function, and thereby aid the development of new therapeutic agents to treat thrombotic diseases. This review presents the major advances in mass spectrometry-based proteomics techniques and their application to platelet research, and analyzes in detail the most relevant contributions to the field.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, United Kingdom. angel.garcia@bioch.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Steve P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Raymond A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dwek
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zitzmann
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D020543:Proteome