Agilent Technologies Introduces Proteomics Product to Remove High-Abundance Proteins from Mouse Blood Serum 

Liquid Chromatography Column Identifies Rare Proteins for Drug Toxicity, Disease Detection; Useful in Studies Not Yet Adaptable to Humans

PALO ALTO, Calif., July 12, 2004 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced the second in a new line of proteomics products that removes high-abundance proteins from blood serum. The Multiple Affinity Removal Column removes the three most highly abundant proteins specific to mouse serum, an industry first, unmasking previously undetectable proteins that are potential biological markers of drug toxicity or disease. 

Blood serum is considered a rich source of biological markers for disease. It is believed to contain the largest set of proteins expressed in any biological sample and it can be easily extracted, whereas tissue samples may require biopsy for analysis. Biomarkers can be used for applications including early cancer detection, quick detection of heart attack, and early assessment of drug toxicity or efficacy. 

"Scientists need protein biomarkers in mouse serum to conduct studies not yet adaptable to humans, and to compare the effects of a drug or external factor on similar human and mouse proteins," said Jerome Bailey, bioreagents marketing manager for Agilent's Integrated Biology Solutions unit. "After the success of Agilent's Multiple Affinity Removal Column for human serum, researchers have been eager for a corresponding mouse column to achieve equivalent levels of detection for comparative studies."

The liquid chromatography (LC) column uses immunoaffinity technology to specifically target and remove the three proteins -- albumin, immunoglobulin G (IgG) and transferrin -- that comprise approximately 80 percent of the total protein mass in mouse serum. This technology allows researchers to study the proteins typically hidden in the remaining 20 percent. This reusable column can be used for more than 200 experiment runs and can also be used with rat serum.

"Use of this mouse column has demonstrated to us the importance of depletion as a strategy for researching the plasma proteome," said Henry Duewel, senior research scientist at MDS Proteomics. "The column performs extremely well. We can easily process a 50 microliter volume of plasma every 35 minutes, and the elution results from replica runs are virtually identical." 

Agilent's Multiple Affinity Removal Column for human serum, introduced in 2003, has proven successful in the rapid identification of low-abundant proteins and biomarkers. After comparative tests of multiple technologies performed by more than 30 laboratories, the Human Proteome Organization and its Plasma Proteome Initiative have found there is a major benefit for the depletion of the major high-abundant proteins prior to further separation and analysis.

The Multiple Affinity Removal Column for mouse serum uses affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies to rapidly remove more than 98 percent of targeted proteins (albumin, IgG and transferrin) with minimal nonspecific removal of other proteins. It is available in a high-performance LC (HPLC) column format that can be easily combined with Agilent's advanced 1100 Series multidimensional LC/MS systems and SpectrumMill data analysis software for rapid protein analysis.

Availability

Agilent's Multiple Affinity Removal Column for mouse serum is available now. Further information is available at www.agilent.com/chem/2affinitymouse .


About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2003. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com .

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