Identifying Secreted Proteins in Human Uterine Cells
Author Information
Author(s): Paule Sarah, Meehan Katie, Rainczuk Adam, Stephens Andrew N, Nie Guiying
Primary Institution: Prince Henrys Institute of Medical Research
Hypothesis
Can hydrogel nanoparticles and proteomics effectively reveal secreted proteins associated with the decidualization of human uterine stromal cells?
Conclusion
The study demonstrates that the SEAN technique can successfully analyze low abundant secreted proteins from cultured human decidual cells.
Supporting Evidence
- 219 proteins were identified in the cultured media, with 184 from decidual media and 35 from control media.
- SEAN successfully removed large molecular weight proteins, enriching small molecular weight proteins for analysis.
- 53.8% of the identified proteins were predicted to be secreted or potentially secreted.
Takeaway
Researchers found a way to capture and study tiny proteins that help the uterus prepare for pregnancy, which can be hard to see because there are so many other proteins around.
Methodology
The study used hydrogel nanoparticles to capture low molecular weight proteins from cultured media, followed by proteomic analysis to identify these proteins.
Limitations
The study primarily focuses on human decidual cells and may not be applicable to other cell types without further validation.
Participant Demographics
Human uterine biopsies were obtained from fertile women undergoing curettage during days 8-24 of the menstrual cycle.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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