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The nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Src is frequently overexpressed and/or activated in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC), and its increased activity has been associated with a poor clinical outcome. Src has been implicated in growth and invasion of these cancer cells by still not well-known mechanisms. Here, we addressed Src oncogenic signaling using quantitative phosphoproteomics. Src overexpression increased growth and invasiveness of metastatic SW620 CRC cells. Stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture in combination with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry allowed the identification of 136 proteins which exhibited a significant increase in and/or association with tyrosine phosphorylation upon Src expression. These mainly include signaling, cytoskeleton, and vesicular-associated proteins. Interestingly, Src also phosphorylated a cluster of tyrosine kinases, i.e., the receptors Met and EphA2, the cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase Fak, and pseudo-tyrosine kinase SgK223, which were required for its invasive activity. Similar results were obtained with metastatic Colo205 CRC cells that exhibit high endogenous Src activity. We concluded that Src uses a tyrosine kinases network to promote its invasive activity in CRC and this implicates a reverse signaling via tyrosine kinase receptors. Targeting these tyrosine kinases may be of significant therapeutic value in this cancer. [Cancer Res 2009;69(6):2279–86]

Supplementary Figure 1 from Quantitative Phosphoproteomics Reveals a Cluster of Tyrosine Kinases That Mediates Src Invasive Activity in Advanced Colon Carcinoma Cells

Supplementary Table 1 from Quantitative Phosphoproteomics Reveals a Cluster of Tyrosine Kinases That Mediates Src Invasive Activity in Advanced Colon Carcinoma Cells

Choroid plexuses (CP) are involved in multiple functions related to their unique architecture and localization at the interface between the blood and cerebrospinal fluid compartments. These include the release by choroidal epithelial cells (CEC) of biologically active molecules, such as polypeptides, which are distributed globally to the brain. Here, we have used a proteomic approach to get an unbiased overview of the proteins that are secreted by primary cultures enriched in epithelial cells from mice CP. We identified a total of 43 proteins secreted through the classical vesicular pathway in CEC -conditioned medium. They include transport proteins, collagen subunits and other cell matrix proteins, proteases, protease inhibitors and neurotrophic factors. Treating CEC cultures with lipopolysaccharide, increased the secretion of four protein species and induced the release of two additional proteins. Our study also reveals a higher protein secretion capacity of CECs compared with other CP cells or cultured astrocytes. In conclusion, this study provides for the first time the characterization of the major proteins that are secreted by CECs. These proteins may play a critical role in neuronal growth, differentiation and function as well as in brain pathologies.

Here we describe an original strategy for unbiased quantification of protein expression called difference in mass analysis using labeled lysine (K) (DIMAL-K). DIMAL-K is based on the differential predigestion labeling of lysine residues in complex protein mixtures. The method is relevant for proteomic analysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Protein labeling on lysine residues uses two closely related chemical reagents, S-methyl thioacetimidate and S-methyl thiopropionimidate. Using protein standards, we demonstrated that 1) the chemical labeling was quantitative, specific, and rapid; 2) the differentially labeled proteins co-migrated on two-dimensional gels; and 3) the identification by mass fingerprinting and the relative quantification of the proteins were possible from a single MALDI-TOF mass spectrum. The power of the method was tested by comparing and quantifying the secretion of proteins in normal and proinflammatory astrocytic secretomes (20 microg). We showed that DIMAL-K was more sensitive and accurate than densitometric image analysis and allowed the detection and quantification of novel proteins.

Astrocytes, the most abundant cell type in the central nervous system, are intimately associated with synapses. They play a pivotal role in neuronal survival and the brain inflammatory response. Some astrocytic functions are mediated by the secretion of polypeptides. Using a proteomic approach, we have identified more than 30 proteins released by cultured astrocytes. These include proteases and protease inhibitors, carrier proteins, and antioxidant proteins. Exposing astrocytes to brefeldin A, which selectively blocks secretory vesicle assembly, suppressed the release of some of these proteins. This indicates that astrocytes secrete these proteins by a classic vesicular mechanism and others by an alternative pathway. Astrocytes isolated from different brain regions secreted a similar pattern of proteins. However, the secretion of some of them, including metalloproteinase inhibitors and apolipoprotein E, was region-specific. In addition, pro-inflammatory treatments modified the profile of astrocytic protein secretion. Finally, more than two thirds of the proteins identified in the astrocyte-conditioned medium were detectable in the mouse cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting that astrocytes contribute to the cerebrospinal fluid protein content. In conclusion, this study provides the first unbiased characterization of the major proteins released by astrocytes, which may play a crucial role in the modulation of neuronal survival and function.

Dolastatin 10 and dolastatin 15 have been analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. Interestingly, in-source fragmentations could be easily detected for both compounds. Determination of the primary structure of both pseudopeptides could be done by using post-source decay (PSD) analysis. The molecular ion was used as the precursor ion in the case of dolastatin 10, whereas two in-source fragment ions and cationized (Na and K) precursors were selected in the case of dolastatin 15. An analogue of dolastatin 15 containing an amino alkyl linkage (compound 1) was also studied. Despite its close chemical structure its PSD spectrum exhibited a quite different pattern.

There is accumulating evidence that membrane-bound receptors interact with many intracellular proteins. Multiprotein complexes associated with ionotropic receptors have been extensively characterized, but the identification of proteins interacting with G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has so far only been achieved in a piecemeal fashion, focusing on one or two protein species. We describe a method based on peptide affinity chromatography, two-dimensional electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and immunoblotting to identify the components of multiprotein complexes interacting directly or indirectly with intracellular domains of GPCRs or, more generally, any other membrane-bound receptor. Using this global approach, we have characterized multiprotein complexes that bind to the carboxy-terminal tail of the 5-hydroxytryptamine type 2C receptor and are important for its subcellular localization in CNS cells (Bécamel et al., EMBO J., 21(10): 2332, 2002).

Membrane-bound receptors such as tyrosine kinases and ionotropic receptors are associated with large protein networks structured by protein-protein interactions involving multidomain proteins. Although these networks have emerged as a general mechanism of cellular signalling, much less is known about the protein complexes associated with G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Using a proteomic approach based on peptide affinity chromatography followed by mass spectrometry and immunoblotting, we have identified 15 proteins that interact with the C- terminal tail of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C (5-HT(2C)) receptor, a GPCR. These proteins include several synaptic multidomain proteins containing one or several PDZ domains (PSD95 and the proteins of the tripartite complex Veli3-CASK-Mint1), proteins of the actin/spectrin cytoskeleton and signalling proteins. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that 5-HT(2C) receptors interact with PSD95 and the Veli3-CASK-Mint1 complex in vivo. Electron microscopy also indicated a synaptic enrichment of Veli3 and 5-HT(2C) receptors and their colocalization in microvilli of choroidal cells. These results indicate that the 5-HT(2C) receptor is associated with protein networks that are important for its synaptic localization and its coupling to the signalling machinery.

4-Amino-3-(aminomethyl)benzoic acid (1) (AmAbz) is a novel unnatural amino acid with promise in applications as a building block for the synthesis of peptidomimetics and as a scaffold for combinatorial chemistry. It was efficiently synthesized in three steps (63% overall yield) from 4-aminobenzoic acid, by means of regioselective amidomethylation with hydroxymethylphthalimide. AmAbz (1) contains three distinct functionalities which could be discriminated from one another. Firstly, Boc2O or Fmoc−OSu reacted selectively with the benzylamino group to give the monoprotected derivatives AmAbz(Boc) (8a) or AmAbz(Fmoc) (8b), respectively. The absence of acylation at the arylamino group was also noticed in coupling experiments using the BOP reagent and building block 8b. This made protection of the arylamino group unnecessary either for peptide bond formation at the carboxyl group, or for subsequent elongation of a peptide chain at the benzylamino group. Finally, the arylamino group could be acylated under base-free, carbodiimide-mediated coupling conditions. These properties are illustrated by the solid-phase synthesis of the AmAbz-containing branched pseudopeptide Fmoc−Ala−Phe−AmAbz(H−Lys−Leu)−Val−Gly−NH2 (15). The synthesis of Fmoc−AmAbz(Boc) (10) is also described.

Solid phase synthesis of Ψ[CH2NH] pseudopeptide 3 was accomplished by reductive amination of peptidyl aldehyde 1 with resin bound amino peptide 2. No epimerization took place during the aldehyde preparation or the reductive amination step. This convergent strategy should facilitate the synthesis of analogues of the neuropeptide PACAP.

A cyclic analog of the natural antiproliferative compound dolastatin 10 was synthesized by introducing an ester link between the N- and C-terminal residues which were modified accordingly. The final macrolactonization was performed by using isopropenyl chloroformate and DMAP as reagents. This analog exhibits submicromolar antiproliferative activity against the L1210 and HT29 cell lines and inhibits in vitro tubulin polymerization (IC50, 39 μM).

Peptidyl aldehydes are potent transition state analogue inhibitors of cysteine and serine proteinases. The aldehyde function has recently been used for chemoselective peptide ligation. The preparation of peptidyl aldehydes on a solid support requires that the aldehyde be masked during peptide elongation and generated in a final step under mild conditions. We report here the preparation of peptidyl aldehydes by copper salt-mediated neutral hydrolysis of the corresponding C-terminal thiazolidinyl peptides which were elongated on a solid support.

Peptidyl aldehydes were synthesized using thiazolidine peptides as precursors. Hydrolysis of the heterocycles is easily accomplished using cupper salts to furnish the peptidyl aldehydes with very good yield and with no epimerization. © 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

A solid phase synthesis of a phosphonopeptide is described, in which a type 1 aminophosphonate with a free phosphonic acid was coupled just like an amino acid, using BOP as reagent.

The potent antineoplasic pseudopeptide dolastatin 10 isolated from the sea hare Dolabella auricularia was examined by a combination of one and two dimensional NMR techniques (DQF-COSY, HOHAHA, ROESY, HMQC, and HMBC) followed by restrained molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations to elucidate its conformation in solution (DMSO). The study showed that dolastatin 10 exists in two different conformations corresponding to a cistrans isomerisation of the Dil-Dap amide bond.

Phosphopeptides have been described as protease inhibitors as well as haptens for the preparation of abzymes exhibiting esterase activity. Phosphono- or phosphinopeptides have previously been prepared by solution synthesis, starting from the fully protected phosphoester dipeptide analogue. We have compared the reactivity of phosphonic versus carboxylic acid using BOP- or PyBOP-mediated activation. These reagents have been efficiently used for the preparation of mixed phosphonate diesters in the presence of an alcohol by phosphonic acid activation. We demonstrate their efficiency for solid phase synthesis of phosphonopeptides (or phosphinopeptides) in the presence of an amine by carboxy acid activation, starting from an unprotected phosphodipeptide analogue. In contrast, the efficient BroP-mediated monoesterification of α-amino-phosphonic acid is not suitable for phosphonopeptide preparation by SPPS.

Dolastatin 15 1(4S,7S) is a potent cytostatic depsipeptide of marine origin. Analysis of the effects of the stereochemistry in the non-peptide moiety on activity revealed that chirality inversion in the aromatic terminal region preserves the antiproliferative activity.

A stepwise synthesis of dolastatin 10 starting from the dolaphenine residue is described. The chiral dola isoleuine and dolaproine residues were obtained by 5-step procedures from the corresponding N-Boc amino acid. The key steps are respectively the NaBH4 reduction of an allylic ketone and the addition of an achiral Z-crotylboronate on the N-Boc- L -prolinal. Peptidic couplings were efficiently realised with reagents developed in the laboratory.

PyBroP (1) and PyCloP (2), two halotripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphates, are peptide-coupling reagents highly efficient for coupling N-methylated amino esters, in contrast with PyBOP (3), the hydroxybenzotriazolyl analogue. These halogenophosphonium salts 1 and 2 are convenient (one-pot reactions) stable solids soluble in conventional solvents. Use of them gave an excellent peptide yield with essentially no epimerization. Activation with these reagents probably involves the formation of an (acyloxy)phosphonium, as shown in the case of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoic acid activation. In the case of reagents 1 and 2, oxazolone and/or a symmetrical anhydride were intermediates which were rapidly aminolyzed. In contrast, the benzotriazolyl ester intermediate which was formed with PyBOP (3) was poorly reactive with N-methylated amino esters. PyBroP (1) and PyCloP (2) were less efficient in the coupling of some Boc-amino acids because of N-carboxyanhydride formation; this was particulary the case when Boc-Val-OH or Boc-MeVal-OH was coupled with MeVal-OMe

The reduction of (5S)-5-alkyl-2,4-dioxopyrrolidines, so-called tetramic acids, by NaBH 4 gives only partial diastereofacial selectivity in the case of the N-substituted analogues 9f-i, unlike the carbamate derivatives 9a-e which give the reduced cis-pyrrolidinones 10βa-e. Increasing the steric hindrance of either the N- or C-5-substituents enhances the re-face selectivity. On the other hand, reduction of the heterobicyclic compound 9n leads to a dramatic reversal of the stereoselectivity. Preliminary calculations show that the N-atom of the ring is slightly pyramidalized; the direction of hydride addition could be a consequence of this finding

The absence of a coupling reaction between a phosphinic acid and an amino ester during activation with the reagents BOP or PyBOP allowed the synthesis of phosphinopeptides from phospho-analogues of dipeptides, unprotected on the phosphinic acid.

The main product of N-methylated amino acid coupling, when oxybenzotriazole is present in the reagent (BOP, PyBOP, HBPyU) or as an additive (DCC/HOBt), is the weakly reactive benzotriazolyl ester. On the other hand, the corresponding new halogenated reagents PyBroP, PyCloP and PyClU give very good results and can be recommended.

Efficient synthesis of dolastatin 15 (1) was accomplished following a convergent strategy. The pyrrolidinone cycle of 5 was obtained by thermic cyclization of the corresponding Meldrum's adduct 4. The methylation of the enol function was performed under Mitsunobu conditions. On the other hand, the peptide part 10 was elongated by using PyCloP as coupling reagent. The ester linkage between both segments was efficiently performed under conditions we previously described by using a mixed anhydride activation with isopropenyl chlorocarbonate. Final compound 12 was found to exhibit physical properties slightly different from those recently reported by Pettit and co-workers for the natural dolastatin 15 and their synthesis product.

The Mitsunobu reaction was efficiently used to introduce oxazolines and thiazolines in the peptide backbone. The reaction proceeded from β-hydroxy α-amino acid-containing peptides at room temperature in 58-72% isolated yields.

The absence of a coupling reaction between a phosphinic acid and an amino ester during activation with the reagents BOP or PyBOP allowed the synthesis of phosphinopeptides from phospho-analogues of dipeptides, unprotected on the phosphinic acid.

The reduction of (5S)-5-alkyl-2,4-dioxopyrrolidines, so-called tetramic acids, by NaBH 4 gives only partial diastereofacial selectivity in the case of the N-substituted analogues 9f-i, unlike the carbamate derivatives 9a-e which give the reduced cis-pyrrolidinones 10βa-e. Increasing the steric hindrance of either the N- or C-5-substituents enhances the re-face selectivity. On the other hand, reduction of the heterobicyclic compound 9n leads to a dramatic reversal of the stereoselectivity. Preliminary calculations show that the N-atom of the ring is slightly pyramidalized; the direction of hydride addition could be a consequence of this finding

Mixed phosphonate diesters of a N-protected α-amino phosphonic acid are prepared from phosphonate monoesters using BOP or PyBOP as activating agent. This reaction proceeds without racemisation.

The (7R,15R)- and (7S,15R)-diastereomers of dolatrienoic acid were synthesized using a convergent strategy. Fragment C5-C9 was obtained through enantiodifferentiation of racemic pentane-1,3,5-triol as the key step, fixing the chirality at C7 of fragments 4 and ent-4. The chirality at C15 of the fragment C10-C16 was introduced from L-glutamic acid. Coupling of these two fragments led to the aldehydes (7R,15R)- and (7S,15R)-2 which were homologated by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons condensation to give (7R,15R)- and (7S,15R)-dolatrienoic acids.

Peptidyl aldehydes were synthesized using thiazolidine peptides as precursors. Hydrolysis of the heterocycles is easily accomplished using cupper salts to furnish the peptidyl aldehydes with very good yield and with no epimerization. © 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

International audience; Mosquito-transmitted pathogens pass through the insect's midgut (MG) and salivary gland (SG). What occurs in these organs in response to a blood meal is poorly understood, but identifying the physiological differences between sugar-fed and blood-fed (BF) mosquitoes could shed light on factors important in pathogens transmission. We compared differential protein expression in the MGs and SGs of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes after a sugar- or blood-based diet. No difference was observed in the MG protein expression levels but certain SG proteins were highly expressed only in BF mosquitoes. In sugar-fed mosquitoes, housekeeping proteins were highly expressed (especially those related to energy metabolism) and actin was up-regulated. The immunofluorescence assay shows that there is no disruption of the SG cytoskeletal after the blood meal. We have generated for the first time the 2-DE profiles of immunogenic Ae. aegypti SG BF-related proteins. These new data could contribute to the understanding of the physiological processes that appear during the blood meal.

The Mitsunobu reaction was efficiently used to introduce oxazolines and thiazolines in the peptide backbone. The reaction proceeded from β-hydroxy α-amino acid-containing peptides at room temperature in 58-72% isolated yields.

Efficient synthesis of dolastatin 15 (1) was accomplished following a convergent strategy. The pyrrolidinone cycle of 5 was obtained by thermic cyclization of the corresponding Meldrum's adduct 4. The methylation of the enol function was performed under Mitsunobu conditions. On the other hand, the peptide part 10 was elongated by using PyCloP as coupling reagent. The ester linkage between both segments was efficiently performed under conditions we previously described by using a mixed anhydride activation with isopropenyl chlorocarbonate. Final compound 12 was found to exhibit physical properties slightly different from those recently reported by Pettit and co-workers for the natural dolastatin 15 and their synthesis product.

International audience; The spleen tyrosine kinase Syk has predominantly been studied in hematopoietic cells in which it is involved in immunoreceptor-mediated signaling. Recently, Syk expression was evidenced in numerous nonhematopoietic cells and shown to be involved in tumor formation and progression. The Syk downstream signaling effectors in nonhematopoietic cells remain, however, to be uncovered, and were investigated using MS-based quantitative phosphoproteomics. Two strategies, based on the inhibition of the Syk catalytic activity and on the loss of Syk expression were employed to identify phosphotyrosine-dependent complexes. Quantitative measurements were obtained on 350 proteins purified with phosphotyrosine affinity columns using the SILAC method. Forty-one proteins are dependent on both Syk expression and catalytic activity and were selected as signaling effectors. They are involved in a variety of biological processes such as signal transduction, cell-cell adhesion and cell polarization. We investigated the functional involvement of Syk in cell-cell adhesion and demonstrated the phosphorylation of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin. In addition, Syk is localized at cell-cell contacts, and Syk-mediated phosphorylation of E-cadherin seems to be important for the proper localization of p120-catenin at adherens junctions. Identification of the biochemical pathways regulated by Syk in human cancer cells will help to uncover its role in tumor formation and progression.

The nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Src is frequently overexpressed and/or activated in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC), and its increased activity has been associated with a poor clinical outcome. Src has been implicated in growth and invasion of these cancer cells by still not well-known mechanisms. Here, we addressed Src oncogenic signaling using quantitative phosphoproteomics. Src overexpression increased growth and invasiveness of metastatic SW620 CRC cells. Stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture in combination with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry allowed the identification of 136 proteins which exhibited a significant increase in and/or association with tyrosine phosphorylation upon Src expression. These mainly include signaling, cytoskeleton, and vesicular-associated proteins. Interestingly, Src also phosphorylated a cluster of tyrosine kinases, i.e., the receptors Met and EphA2, the cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase Fak, and pseudo-tyrosine kinase SgK223, which were required for its invasive activity. Similar results were obtained with metastatic Colo205 CRC cells that exhibit high endogenous Src activity. We concluded that Src uses a tyrosine kinases network to promote its invasive activity in CRC and this implicates a reverse signaling via tyrosine kinase receptors. Targeting these tyrosine kinases may be of significant therapeutic value in this cancer. [Cancer Res 2009;69(6):2279–86]

The main product of N-methylated amino acid coupling, when oxybenzotriazole is present in the reagent (BOP, PyBOP, HBPyU) or as an additive (DCC/HOBt), is the weakly reactive benzotriazolyl ester. On the other hand, the corresponding new halogenated reagents PyBroP, PyCloP and PyClU give very good results and can be recommended.

Nordidemnin (2), a natural analogue of the marine cyclodepsipeptide didemnin B (1b), showed cytotoxic activity against L1210 leukemia and antineoplastic activity against P388 leukemia as well as B16 melanoma; nordidemnin (2) was as active as didemnin B (1b). The influence of synthetic modifications in the linear peptidic chain on in vitro and in vivo activity was also studied. Replacement of the terminal lactyl residue by mandelyl and 3-(p-hydroxyphenyl)propionyl residues in compounds 3 and 4, respectively, did not affect the cytotoxic activity against L1210 leukemia (ID50 of 1.1 nM and 1.2 nM, respectively) or the in vivo activity against P388 leukemia. Unlike these aromatic substituants, the lipophilic palmityl residue induced a dramatic loss in cytotoxic activity. The inverted chirality of the MeLeu joining residue in compound 6 caused a marked reduction in the in vitro activity.

Animal trypanosomosis is a major constraint to livestock productivity in the tropics and has a significant impact on the life of millions of people globally (mainly in Africa, South America and south-east Asia). In Africa, the disease in livestock is caused mainly by Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma vivax, Trypanosoma evansi and Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The extracellular position of trypanosomes in the bloodstream of their host requires consideration of both the parasite and its naturally excreted-secreted factors (secretome) in the course of pathophysiological processes. We therefore developed and standardised a method to produce purified proteomes and secretomes of African trypanosomes. In this study, two strains of T. congolense exhibiting opposite properties of both virulence and pathogenicity were further investigated through their secretome expression and its involvement in host-parasite interactions. We used a combined proteomic approach (one-dimensional SDS-PAGE and two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry) to characterise the whole and differentially expressed protein contents of secretomes. The molecular identification of differentially expressed trypanosome molecules and their correlation with either the virulence process or pathogenicity are discussed with regard to their potential as new diagnostic or therapeutic tools against animal trypanosomosis.

International audience; Depletion of major blood proteins is one of the most promising approaches to access low abundant biomarkers using proteomics. Immunocapture columns often used for this purpose exist in different formats depending on the number of major proteins removed. In this article, we compared the relative interest of depleting either one (albumin), six (albumin, IgG, IgA, transferrin, α1-antitrypsin, and haptoglobin), twelve (the previous six and apo A-I and-II, orosomucoid, α2-macroglobulin, fibrinogen, IgM) or twenty blood proteins (the previous twelve and IgD, ceruloplasmin, apo B, complement C1q, C3, C4, plasminogen, and prealbumin). Such study raises interesting issues related to the reproducibility, practicability, specificity of the immunocapture, and to the impact of removing not only the selected molecules, but also associated peptides and proteins. Depleted sera were here analysed using different proteomic approaches, including two dimensional electrophoresis and SELDI–TOF. Altogether, our results clearly confirmed the interest of depleting major blood proteins for the proteomic detection of low abundant components. However, we observed that increasing the number of depleted proteins from twelve to twenty had a limited beneficial impact and might increase drawbacks in removing associated peptides and proteins. This conclusion is however related to the technologies that we have used, and we believe that it is necessary to adapt the immunocapture to the analytical method employed, and to the ratio between wanted and unwanted proteins removed.

Background: No validated renal cell carcinoma (RCC) marker is known for detection of asymptomatic disease in selected populations or for prognostic purposes or treatment monitoring. We identified immunogenic proteins as tumor markers for RCC by combining conventional proteome analysis with serological screening, and we investigated the diagnostic clinical value of such markers in serum. Methods: We studied the immunogenic protein expression profile of CAL 54, a human RCC cell line, by 2-dimensional electrophoresis combined with immunoblotting using sera from healthy donors compared with RCC patients. We developed a homogeneous, fluorescent, dual-monoclonal immunoassay for metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7) and used it to measure MMP-7 in sera from 30 healthy donors, 30 RCC patients, and 40 control patients. Results: Pro-MMP-7 (29 kDa; pI 7.7) in the CAL 54 cell line secretome was an immunogenic protein reactive with RCC patient sera but not with control sera. The concentrations of pro-MMP-7 were increased (P Conclusion: Proteomics technology combined with serology led to the identification of serum pro-MMP-7 as a marker of RCC and represents a powerful tool in searching for candidate proteins as biomarkers.

The stereocontrolled synthesis of the N,O-dimethylated-γ-amino-β-hydroxy acid (R)-MeVal-ψ(CHOMe)-Gly ( 3b ) is reported; the key step is the formation of the nonmethylated allylic precursor with the anti configuration 20 by reduction of the keto analogue 16 .

The Plasmodium falciparum food vacuole (FV) is a lysosome-like organelle where erythrocyte hemoglobin digestion occurs. It is a favorite target in the development of antimalarials. We have used a tandem mass spectrometry approach to investigate the proteome of an FV-enriched fraction and identified 116 proteins. The electron microscopy analysis and the Western blot data showed that the major component of the fraction was the FV and, as expected, the majority of previously known FV markers were recovered. Of particular interest, several proteins involved in vesicle-mediated trafficking were identified, which are likely to play a key role in FV biogenesis and/or FV protein trafficking. Recovery of parasite surface proteins lends support to the cytostomal pathway of hemoglobin ingestion as a FV trafficking route. We have identified 32 proteins described as hypothetical in the databases. This insight into FV protein content provides new clues towards understanding the biological function of this organelle in P. falciparum.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) are both potent neurotrophic and antiapoptotic factors, which exert their effects via phosphorylation cascades initiated by tyrosine kinase and G-protein-coupled receptors, respectively. Here, we have adapted a recently described phosphoproteomic approach to neuronal cultures to characterize the phosphoproteomes generated by these neurotrophic factors. Unexpectedly, IGF-1 and PACAP increased the phosphorylation state of a common set of proteins in neurons. Using PACAP type 1 receptor (PAC1R) null mice, we showed that IGF-1 transactivated PAC1Rs constitutively associated with IGF-1 receptors. This effect was mediated by Src family kinases, which induced PAC1R phosphorylation on tyrosine residues. PAC1R transactivation was responsible for a large fraction of the IGF-1-associated phosphoproteome and played a critical role in the antiapoptotic activity of IGF-1. Hence, in contrast to the general opinion that the trophic activity of IGF-1 is solely mediated by tyrosine kinase receptor-associated signalling, we show that it involves a more complex signalling network dependent on the PAC1 Gs-protein-coupled receptor in neurons.