Analysis of Hepatic Protein Expression in Fisher-344 Rats Exposed to 2-Aminoanthracene Using Proteomic Techniques

Environmental exposure to 2-aminoanthracene (2AA) may increase the risk of developing diseases such as diabetes and cancer. 2AA is an aromatic amine classified as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). The goal of the present study is to discover the expression of proteins that mediate 2AA toxicity in the liver. The toxicity associated with 2AA-dietary consumption by Fisher-344 (F344) rats was investigated using proteomics approach. Twenty four post-weaning 3-4 week old F344 rats were randomly assigned to one of four dietary doses of 2AA: 0 mgkg ^-1 diet (control), 50 mgkg ^-1 diet (low dose), 75 mg kg ^-1 diet (medium dose), and 100 mg kg ^-1 (high dose) for 14 and 28 days. Total protein will be extracted from liver tissues, and then separated via 1D gel electrophoresis. Gel digest will be further analyzed on a MALDI instrument. The resulting data will be quantified via spectral counting and searched using Mascot database. Identified peptide will be analyzed for differential protein expression and implemented in DAVID bioinformatics tools. We expect to identify proteins that are essential in understanding the 2AA toxicity mechanisms.