The importance of network collaboration for the development of proteomic research during critical illness
Background
Proteins are the building blocks of biological systems. Recently, more groups are performing descriptive proteomic analysis in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), sepsis, ARDS and acute brain injury. The main focus of research has commonly been the identification of an early biomarker that with alert the clinician on the development of organ failure. The work of Supavekin et al. and Mishra et al. lead to the identification of NGAL as an early biomarker related to AKI. Chang et al describes the qualitative analysis of protein expression from patients with ARDS. In patients with acute brain injury (ABI), several groups have described many biomarkers that have been related to functional outcome. However, the notion that a single biomarker is responsible for the entire pathophysiologic phenomena is naive. Also, even if the biomarker has a good profile to detect end-organ injury and is cost-effective, no available treatment that would reduce mortality or improve neurological outcome can be offered at the moment.
The importance of network collaboration
Proteomic analysis of serum and other fluids from critically ill patients is an emerging field. However, samples from patients in the ICU are not often easy to obtain, due to ethical issues, and costs are very high. Also, comparison among different groups research on the same topic is often difficult because of different techniques use to identify the targeted proteins (SELDI-TOF-MS, DIGE,etc), and further methods to validate the results such as ELISA testing, Westerblot, among others. Moreover, the introduction of new technologies like the AB Sciex 5600 Triple TOF with MS/MS Swath spectra quantification allows for more in-deep analysis of the data. Identification of an interactome that orchestrates inflammatory, apoptotic and ischemic pathways may lead to performing better experiments and to develop pharmacologic strategies.
Sharing this knowledge is of key importance. Collaboration and communication between different groups working on the same project would save time and money. Free and easy to use web-based analytical tools would help develop the field and attract new researchers to join-in the search for novel biomarkers or potential pharmacologic interventions. Only with the collaboration from the industry, the private sector and academic groups, can a network of professionals dedicated to advance the field of proteomic research during critical illness be made.
Conclusion
Proteomic analysis of bodily fluids reveals the pathophysiologic picture of the tissue during acute illness. Development of experiments and computational analysis by individual groups should be available to others in order to generalize results and reduce costs.
follow us at @ForumInt_cc
