Modulating the Cell Proteome

Cells exposed to therapeutic ultrasound-microbubbles (USMB) exhibit a variety of bioeffects such as plasma membrane disruption, enhanced endocytosis, leakage, and apoptosis in response to the USMB-induced stress. Environmental stresses can influence the cell proteome, causing changes in protein expression. This study investigates the effect of USMB on the proteome of AML cells using mass spectrometry. USMB induced notable changes in the cell proteome at both 6 and 24 hrs post treatment, with 77 proteins identified. The USMB parameters also influenced the protein expression with the presence of microbubbles and time, having a significant influence on the magnitude of change as well as the proteins affected. Notable proteins include Annexin A1, S100 A10, A11 and heme oxygenase with average fold changes of 2.60 and 2.40, 1.52 and 1.76, 1.27 and 1.40 and 4.45 and 1.27 at 6 and 24 hrs respectively, post USMB treatment. In addition, the proteins influenced play roles in known cellular responses to the USMB treatment as well as mechanical and oxidative stresses.