Cardiovascular proteomics - Evolution and potential

The development of proteomics is a timely one for cardiovascular research. Analyses at the organ, subcellular, and molecular levels have revealed dyna mic, complex, and subtle intracellular processes associated with heart and vascular disease. The power and flexibility of proteomic analyses, which fa cilitate protein separation, identification, and characterization, should h asten our understanding of these processes at the protein level. Properly a pplied, proteomics provides researchers with cellular protein "inventories" at specific moments in time, making it idea]. for documenting protein modi fication due to a particular disease, condition, or treatment. This is acco mplished through the establishment of species- and tissue-specific protein databases, providing a foundation for subsequent proteomic studies. Evoluti on of proteomic techniques has permitted more thorough investigation into m olecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease, facilitating identif ication not only of modified proteins but also of the nature of their modif ication. Continued development should lead to functional proteomic studies, in which identification of protein modification, in conjunction with funct ional data from established biochemical and physiological methods, has the ability to further our understanding of the interplay between proteome chan ge and cardiovascular disease.