Use of proteomics in research on periodontal disease.

Abstract

Proteomics is the comprehensive study of all proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Additionally, proteomics aims to obtain functional information on proteins, building on the completion of the human genome project. One of the main tools used for studying proteomics is mass spectrometery, which measures the molecular weights of proteins. Mass spectrometery has been used to elucidate the causes, mechanisms and markers of many kinds of diseases. Very small amounts of proteins and their roles in systemic diseases can now be identified using mass spectrometery. We hope that proteomics will be applied as a new and excellent tool for the research and diagnosis of periodontal disease. To this end, we have optimized a mass spectrometry technique(MALDI-TOF-MS)for the research of periodontal disease using bovine serum albumin(BSA). We succeeded in determining the amino acid sequence of 1.52 pmol of BSA. Using this assay, the amino acid sequence of a protein can be determined using mass spectrometry if a protein concentration of at least 1.52 pmol(100 ng/μL)can be obtained. Therefore,these results show that very small amounts of protein in oral samples can be identified using mass spectrometry.
Nihon Shishubyo Gakkai Kaishi(J Jpn Periodontol)49: 257-263, 2007.