title: Selective binding and enrichment for low-molecular weight biomarker molecules in human plasma after exposure to nanoporous silica particles.
abstract: The present manuscript describes a biomarker capturing strategy based on nanoporous silica particles. The method is shown to enrich the yield of species in the low-molecular weight proteome (LMWP), allowing detection of small peptides in the low-nanomolar range. Plasma samples were exposed to the silica particles, and the captured molecular species were profiled using MALDI-TOF. Mass spectra of the silica-treated human plasma samples showed a significant enrichment in MALDI-TOF protein profiles in the LMWP. Preliminary results indicated good level of reproducibility in plasma profiles with CVs on peak heights ranging from 6.3 to 14.7%. The MALDI-TOF signature changed significantly when the characteristics of the nanoporous silica were altered. The facile sample pretreatment before MS analysis, coupled to the potential for tailoring the surface properties of silica supports, hold promise for improving the recovery of low-abundance serum biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy. terracciano@unicz.it
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Terracciano
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaspari
authors.forename: Flaviano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pasqua
authors.forename: Pierosandro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.forename: Mark Ming-Cheng
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: A Jasper
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nijdam
authors.forename: Emanuel F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Petricoin
authors.forename: Lance A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Liotta
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cuda
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venuta
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D020543:Proteome; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020543:Proteome; D012822:Silicon Dioxide