Role of Pharmacoproteomics

Abstract

The term ‘proteomics’ indicates PROTEins expressed by a genOME and is the systematic analysis of protein profiles of tissues. Proteomics parallels the related field of genomics. Now that the human genome has been sequenced, we face the greater challenge of making use of this information for improving healthcare and discovering new drugs. There is an increasing interest in proteomics technologies now because DNA sequence information provides only a static snapshot of the various ways in which the cell might use its proteins whereas the life of the cell is a dynamic process. A detailed discussion of proteomics is given in a special report on this topic (Jain 2009e). Application to development of personalized medicine will be discussed here briefly. The role of proteomics in drug development can be termed “pharmacoproteomics”. Proteomics-based characterization of multifactorial diseases may help to match a particular target-based therapy to a particular marker in a subgroup of patients. The industrial sector is taking a lead in developing this area. Individualized therapy may be based on differential protein expression rather than genetic polymorphism. Proteomics will have a great impact on diagnosis during the first decade of the twenty-first century. By the end of the decade protein chip-based tests will be available for several diseases. Knowledge gained from genomics and proteomics will be combined to provide optimal detection of disease at an early stage for prevention or early intervention. Proteomics-based molecular diagnostics will have an important role in the diagnosis of certain conditions and proteomics-based medicines would be integrated in the total healthcare of a patient.