The role of proteomic research in vascular disease

Introduction Arterial diseases including atherosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia and aneurysms have been shown to be a product of genotype and environment. Gene expression pathways rely on protein translation to generate target effects. As a result of alternative splicing and post-translational modifications, one gene does not code for a single protein but for many. Proteomic studies allow quantification of these proteins in a biological system and determination of altered protein expression in disease. Proteomics is a powerful and expanding field of investigation which in combination with other 'omics may enhance understanding of disease pathophysiology and/or identify biomarkers of vascular disease. This review describes the methodology of protein mining and provides an insight into the valuable contributions already made by proteomics to vascular surgery. Methods MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for relevant articles. Results 118 relevant articles were identified. These were subdivided into categories based on the aspect of protein research they reported. The subheadings include methodology, atherosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia, aortic disease and biomarkers. Conclusions Disease processes classified as genetic are functionally proteomic. Equally disease pathophysiology is the result of, or leads to alternate protein expression. Understanding the proteome will clarify the pathophysiology of disease. The translation of these findings to clinical practice impacts diagnosis, staging and treatment of disease processes. Biomarker discovery will enable earlier diagnosis of unstable atherosclerotic plaques, it will allow identification of aneurysms more likely to rupture and stratify risk. Proteomic research has enormous potential to modulate many aspects of patient care.