Proteomics in Transplant Medicine

Solid organ transplants represent a major lifesaving procedure for tens of thousands of Americans every year. While tissue typing and immunosuppressive agents have reduced the incidence of organ rejection, the overall percentage of patients who suffer this event remains stubbornly high. Successful transplant outcomes rely on matching organ donors and recipients as well as early detection of graft injury or rejection. Biomarkers would increase the accuracy of organ matches, while decreasing the percentage of graft injuries or rejections. Modern technologies have enabled investigators to screen thousands of proteins to identify biomarkers associated with a variety of physiological conditions. However, testing these hypothetical biomarkers is laborious and challenging. In this chapter, we will describe the need for transplant-associated biomarkers, the challenges associated with their discovery, and several applications that have used proteomics to identify biomarkers that can increase the success of transplant procedures.