EN
Peptides in human body fluids closely
mirror processes of protein synthesis, processing and
degradation. Since peptide levels and composition
in the circulation fluctuate in close correlation with
specific condition (either physiological or pathological)
of an individual, comprehensive peptide analysis may
unravel novel disease biomarkers or pave the way to
new diagnostic approaches. Discovery of novel peptide
biomarkers could facilitate drug development, as peptides
can be used to monitor response to drugs, and thus help
determine an optimal therapeutic dosage and assess toxic
effects. In this review, we will provide a short overview of
typical mass spectrometry-based peptidomics workflow,
and give the examples from current literature of how
peptidomics studies could potentially improve detection
and treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases,
the latter including Alzheimer’s and Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease.