ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we summarize our proteomic studies in the field of cardiovascular medicine. Our research focuses on understanding the role of proteins in cardiovascular disease with an objective of better understanding cardiovascular pathophysiology to lead to the development of new and better diagnostic and therapeutic methods. A particular focus has been placed on understanding intracellular pathogenic processes such as epigenetic regulation and extracellular processes such as identifying and quantitating extracellular proteins. We have used mass spectrometry as both an exploratory and a diagnostic technology for the detection of processes ranging from protein-protein interactions to post-translational modifications in cellular proteins as well as circulating biomarkers. Fractionation methods for proteins such as liquid-based two-dimensional methods as well as immuno-enrichment procedures have also been explored
to enable further facilitation of protein pre-separation. In addition to these functional proteomics studies, structural proteomic studies are also done with a hope to allow for pinpoint drug design and therapeutic intervention. Collectively, our proteomics studies are focused on understanding the functional role and potential therapeutically exploitable property of proteins in cardiovascular disease from both intracellular and extracellular aspects with both functional and structural proteomics approaches to allow for comprehensive analysis.
