LC/MS/MS system is allowing researchers in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool to look closely at the response of the liver to chemical stress at the proteomic level
An Applied Biosystems Qstar Pulsar LC/MS/MS system funded by the Wellcome Trust is allowing researchers in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool to look closely at the response of the liver to chemical stress at the proteomic level.
Neil Kitteringham, senior lecturer in pharmacology at Liverpool, who is directing the project in collaboration with Professor Stephen Pennington at the Conway Institute, University College Dublin, explained: "This project is concerned with research on paracetamol toxicity and the cellular response to drug-induced stress.
"We are looking for novel plasma biomarkers in patients who have taken an overdose of paracetamol. "The resulting severe and potentially fatal liver damage can be treated if caught early enough, but specific biomarkers have not yet been identified.
"The Qstar system allows us to explore deeper into the individual proteomes, to analyse protein modifications and to provide greater coverage of novel or polymorphic proteins.
"A major role of the instrument will be the further development of Icat reagent technology to conduct research on expressional changes in liver proteins or proteins from liver cell lines after exposure to paracetamol and other known hepatotoxins.
"The Qstar system is used purely for the paracetamol project for 80 per cent of the time, with some time remaining for collaborative projects within the Faculty of Medicine.
"These projects vary widely, from basic research into the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract for the Physiology Department, to a particularly interesting research project for the Department of Surgery looking for biomarkers for pancreatic cancer".
Dr Kitteringham added: "Several factors led us to choose the Qstar system above other similar instrumentation.
"The Icat reagent technology and Pro Icat software were obviously important, as well as the instrument's high sensitivity, ease of use and versatility with respect to front-end ionisation procedures, LC, nanospray and Maldi.
"Price and good support were also critical and, since buying the Qstar instrument, we have forged a strong collaborative relationship with Applied Biosystems over the use of its Icat reagent technology."
