With or without you — Proteomics with or without major plasma/serum proteins

•The review presents and discusses protocols for depletion of abundant serum proteins.•It also presents approaches for the effective analysis of whole, untreated serum.•Next it elaborates on multiple molecular forms/multiple functions of serum proteins.•It then recommends that information on abundant serum proteins be routinely obtained.

The first sections of this review compile and discuss strategies and protocols for managing plasma/serum as a source of biomarkers relevant to human disease. In many such cases, depletion of abundant protein(s) is a crucial preliminary step to the procedure; specific conceptual and technical approaches, however, make it possible to effectively use to this purpose whole plasma/serum. The final sections focus instead on the complexity associated with each of the major serum/plasma proteins in terms of both, multiple molecular structures (existence of a number of protein species) and of multiple molecular functions (behavior as multifunctional/multitasking/moonlighting proteins). Reviewing evidence in these and some related fields (regulation of the synthetic pattern by proteins and non-protein compounds and its connection with health and disease) prompts the suggestion/recommendation that information on the abundant components of plasma/serum proteome is routinely obtained and processed/mined as a valuable contribution to the characterization of any non-physiological condition and to the understanding of its mechanisms and of its implications/sequels.

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