LFQ Quantitative Proteomics: Exploring the Key Units of Precise Quantification

Proteins are the most basic functional molecules in the body and are crucial for understanding the physiological and pathological processes of organisms. With the development of biotechnology, researchers have begun to focus on the field of proteomics, hoping to reveal the expression changes of proteins in different physiological states through quantitative proteomics methods. Among these, Label-Free Quantification (LFQ) quantitative proteomics has become a focal point for researchers.

 

LFQ quantitative proteomics is a quantitative method based on mass spectrometry technology. It determines the expression differences of proteins between different samples by comparing the peak intensities of proteins in the samples. The principle mainly includes the following steps:

 

1. Sample Preparation

The test sample is subjected to protein extraction and digestion to obtain protein fragments.

 

2. Mass Spectrometry Analysis

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology is used to separate and detect protein fragments to obtain a mass spectrum.

 

3. Data Processing

The mass spectrum is processed through mass spectrometry data analysis software to extract the peak intensity of each protein fragment.

 

4. Quantitative Analysis

The peak intensities of the same protein fragments in different samples are compared to obtain the relative expression of proteins.

 

Advantages

Compared with other quantitative methods, LFQ quantitative proteomics has several advantages:

 

1. No Labeling Required

LFQ quantitative proteomics does not require labeling of samples, avoiding the impact of labels on the samples, and also reducing the cost of experiments.

 

2. High Throughput

LFQ quantitative proteomics can analyze a large number of protein samples at the same time, improving experimental efficiency.

 

3. High Sensitivity

LFQ quantitative proteomics can detect low-abundance proteins, which is of great significance for studying the expression changes of rare proteins in the body.

 

4. Precise Quantification

LFQ quantitative proteomics determines expression differences by comparing the peak intensities of proteins in the samples, and it has a high degree of quantitative accuracy.

 

Application

LFQ quantitative proteomics has a wide range of applications in biomedical research, mainly including the following aspects:

 

1. Biomarker Discovery

LFQ quantitative proteomics can discover potential biomarkers by comparing the expression differences of proteins in different disease samples, providing a basis for early diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

 

2. Drug Development

LFQ quantitative proteomics can evaluate the impact of drugs on protein expression, helping developers understand the mechanism of action and side effects of drugs.

 

3. Disease Mechanism Research

LFQ quantitative proteomics can reveal the expression changes of proteins during the disease development process, helping researchers to understand the mechanisms of disease onset.

 

4. Biological Research

LFQ quantitative proteomics can be used to study the expression changes of proteins in the body under different physiological states, revealing physiological processes and signaling pathways.

 

As a commonly used quantitative method, LFQ quantitative proteomics plays an important role in biomedical research. By comparing the peak intensities of proteins in samples, LFQ quantitative proteomics can accurately quantify the expression differences of proteins, providing researchers with an important tool to reveal the functions of proteins in the body and the mechanisms of diseases.