Quantitative analysis of the erythrocyte membrane proteins in polycythemia vera patients treated with hydroxycarbamide

• We evaluated erythrocyte membrane proteins in polycythemia vera (PV) patients treated with hydroxycarbamide.
• Label-free quantification and subsequent SRM validation were performed.
• Protein disulfide isomerase proteins were upregulated in the PV patients.
• These proteins may protect erythrocytes against oxidative stress and apoptosis.

More than 90% of polycythemia vera (PV) patients have a mutation in the protein JAK2, which is closely associated with the erythrocyte membrane. With the comparison of 1-D gels of erythrocyte membranes obtained from PV patients treated with hydroxycarbamide and those of untreated controls we observed significant differences in the region of 40–55 kDa. On the basis of the LC–MS/MS analysis of this region we report up-regulation of four protein disulfide isomerases, which was subsequently confirmed by targeted mass spectrometric analysis. In further studies it will be prudent to compare this in patients both treated and not treated with hydroxycarbamide.

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