A simple method to systematically study oxidatively modified proteins in biological samples and its applications.

Increased oxidative stress with elevated levels of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of many disease states. Increased ROS/RNS can modulate the cellular macromolecules of DNA, lipids, and proteins, negatively affecting their normal functions. Numerous reports have described the properties and implications of oxidized DNA and lipids. However, oxidative modifications of proteins were not fully studied partially due to the requirement for specific reagents, the lack of methods to detect, purify, and identify oxidatively modified proteins, and the relatively late development of highly sensitive analytical instruments. This chapter describes the detailed procedure for systematically identifying oxidative-modified proteins in biological samples. Applications and other suggestions to this method are also described to understand the functional roles of oxidatively modified proteins in promoting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, which ultimately contribute to organ damage.