An azido-biotin reagent for use in the isolation of protein adducts of lipid-derived electrophiles by streptavidin catch and photorelease.

HNE (4-hydroxynonenal), a byproduct of lipid peroxidation, reacts with nucleophilic centers on proteins. A terminal alkynyl analog of HNE (alkynyl HNE, aHNE) serves as a surrogate for HNE itself, both compounds reacting with protein amine and thiol functional groups by similar chemistry. Proteins modified with aHNE undergo reaction with a click reagent that bears azido and biotin groups separated by a photocleavable linker. Peptides and proteins modified in this way are affinity purified on streptavidin beads. Photolysis of the beads with a low intensity UV light releases bound biotinylated proteins or peptides, i.e. proteins or peptides modified by aHNE. Two strategies, (a) protein catch and photorelease and (b) peptide catch and photorelease, are employed to enrich adducted proteins or peptide mixtures highly enriched in adducts. Proteomics analysis of the streptavidin-purified peptides by LC-MS/MS permits identification of the adduction site. Identification of 30 separate peptides from human serum albumin by peptide catch and photorelease reveals 18 different aHNE adduction sites on the protein. Protein catch and photorelease shows that both HSA and ApoA1 in human plasma undergo significant modification by aHNE.