Extended fasting analysed with 2D electrophoresis

Electrophoresis has been used as part of quantitative analysis to determine what effects extended fasting has on human biofluids and blood cells.

Research published in BMC Medical used 2D electrophoresis teamed with mass spectrometry, as well as multiplex immunoassay, in order to ascertain how certain fluids reacted to fasting in healthy subjects.

The experiments took place across both 12-hour and 36-hour periods.

Plasma, saliva and proteome of platelets - among others - were all tested at these two junctures.

Discovering through electrophoresis that proteins in blood cells and biofluids "significantly changed" with fasting, the researchers also note that multiplex immunoassay uncovered both new and known markers of change in 36-hour abstinence.

"The PBMC proteome exhibited the lowest between-subject variability and therefore these cells appear to represent the best biosamples for biomarker discovery in human nutrigenomics," the scientists conclude.

BMC Medical is an online, open access journal that publishes research spanning a range of topic areas relating to medical science.