Urine-HILIC: Automated sample preparation for bottom-up urinary proteome profiling in clinical proteomics

Abstract

The study of the human urinary proteome is becoming increasingly popular in clinical proteomics studies. Large volumes of samples are readily available with minimal invasiveness, and, in addition, soluble proteins and peptides de- rived from various tissues and organs are also filtered in urine, which can reflect more general health problems [1]. Plasma was long considered the best biofluid choice for biomarker discovery studies. However, the main drawback is the large protein dynamic range and therefore protein biomarkers, often expressed in minute amounts, are difficult to detect and analyse reproducibly without the use of extensive depletion and fractionation strategies [2]. In contrast, urine