Rapid Proteome Analysis of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Samples of Lifelong Smokers and Never-Smokers by Micro-Scale Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The described method provides comprehensive qualitative proteomic analysis of BAL fluid protein expression from never-smokers and from smokers at risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Many of the proteins identified had not been detected in previous studies of BAL fluid; thus, the use of LC-tandem MS with LTQ may provide new information regarding potentially important patterns of protein expression associated with lifelong smoking.