Abstract
Proteins, encoded in 20,000 genes in humans, do much of the work in biology. Measuring proteins, which change in response to various perturbations and represent targets for almost all drugs, offers insights about the health status of an organism. Since proteins operate in complex networks rather than in isolation, measuring multiple proteins simultaneously offers richer insights compared to single protein measurements.
We have developed an affinity-reagent based method for highly multiplexed measurement of proteins in their native conformations in complex biological matrices. For this purpose, we use aptamers augmented with side chains that resemble amino acids overrepresented in protein-protein contacts, in conjunction with an assay that takes advantage of unique properties of these hybrid DNA-based affinity reagents. Being able to measure in excess of 10,000 proteins with high precision and sensitivity, we have gained insights into a variety of conditions including metabolic state, cardiovascular risk, glucose tolerance, and dementia risk. These reagents and assay represent versatile tools for multiple applications in biomedical research.
All are welcome!