Calorimetric analysis of the plasma proteome.

The plasma proteome is a complex mixture of more than 3,000 proteins that has routinely been exploited by physicians for clinical diagnostic assays. More recently, the low-abundance region of the proteome has been examined for potential biomarkers of disease. A calorimetric assay has been developed that exploits a new physical basis with which to interrogate the plasma proteome. This article provides a brief overview of the use of the plasma proteome in clinical diagnosis and biomarker discovery and then introduces the new calorimetric assay. Some initial results are reported that indicate the potential clinical utility of the assay.