The Mouse Leukocyte Proteome

Ivan C. Gerling, Ph.D. Department of Medicine and Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics, UTHSC, Memphis.

   The mononuclear leukocytes (white blood cells) are key elements of activation, regulation, and effector functions, of the immune system.  Within these cells are a number of different functional subsets, characterized by differential expression of cell surface proteins called CD antigens. 

   A comprehensive characterization of the “non-activated” proteome phenotype in inbred mice could serve a baseline for comparative analysis of shifts in protein expression associated with normal or abnormal immune activation.  The goal of our project is to create a web-based 2D-gel mouse mononuclear leukocyte proteome map, as a resource for the scientific community.  As part of this project we are investigating the proteome differences between more or less genetically divergent mouse strains.  This will allow us to judge the utility of a single “mouse” leukocyte proteome map instead of creating a map for each of the commonly used strains.  We have created a website where preliminary 2D-gel maps are posted as work in progress: http://www.utmem.edu/proteomics/