Chinese scientists create most detailed map of human body’s proteins

Chinese researchers have presented the most accurate and comprehensive map of the human proteome to date, which shows not just a set of proteins but also their distribution across the body’s tissues and their precise location within different organs. This was reported by Global Times, a partner of TV BRICS.

The research was led by Professor Guo Tiannan from the School of Medicine at Westlake University in Hangzhou.

To carry out this large-scale study, the team developed a new technological platform for protein analysis, which allows them to work even with very small tissue samples, roughly the size of a sesame seed. This has increased the speed of analysis by about tenfold while significantly reducing costs.

The scientists examined nearly 3,000 human tissue samples, including 58 types of healthy tissue and 25 types of cancer. During the study, they created a database containing information on 15,332 proteins, 13,609 of which underwent precise quantitative analysis.

Based on the data obtained, the researchers developed the most detailed atlas of the human proteome to date.

According to the study’s lead author, such a "map" will help move away from a trial-and-error approach to drug discovery towards a more precise, targeted approach. It will enable researchers to identify targets for new drugs more quickly, as well as uncover novel applications for existing medicines.