MicroRNA molecules (miRNAs) are a class of small, single-stranded, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate cellular messenger RNA and their corresponding proteins. Extracellular miRNAs circulate in the bloodstream inside exosomes or in complexes with proteins and lipoproteins. The miRNA sequences and their quantitative levels are used as unique signatures associated with cancer diagnosis and prognosis after anticancer treatment. MicroRNAs are modified through a series of processing events after transcription like 5'-end phosphorylation, 3'- end adenylation or uridylation, terminal nucleotide deletion. The problem is that existing bioanalytical methods such as microarrays and a quantitative polymerase chain reaction are sensitive, but not capable of identifying the post-transcriptional modifications of miRNA. Here we report a capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) method, which performs a multiplex, direct analysis of miRNAs from biological samples. Using the CE-MS method, we detected two endogenous human circulating miRNAs, a 23-nucleotide long 5'-phosporylated miRNA with 3'-uridylation (iso-miR-16-5p), and a 22-nucleotide long 5'-phosporylated miRNA (miR-21-5p) isolated from B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia serum. The CE separation and following MS analysis provides label-free quantitation and reveals modifications of miRNAs. MicroRNA profiling of serum samples with CE-MS has the potential to be a versatile and minimally invasive bioassay that could lead to better clinical diagnostics and disease treatment.

To enable the detection of protein conformational isomers, their enzymatic activity and their inhibition in a single experiment, we developed a method based on kinetic capillary electrophoresis coupled on-line with UV detection and ion mobility mass spectrometry (CE-UV-IM-MS). Kinetic CE-UV separated protein conformers and monitored their interconversion dynamics in solution. Ion mobility mass spectrometry analyzed the conformer sizes, exact molecular weights, and structures of an enzyme and of its substrates, inhibitors and corresponding products. This coupled CE-UV-IM-MS system allowed the simultaneous, real-time observation of the effect of small-molecule inhibitors on both the conformational distribution and enzymatic activity of the human tissue transglutaminase TG2. By expanding mass spectrometry profiling of enzymatic reactions beyond proteins and substrates to include protein dynamics, CE-UV-IM-MS opens a new avenue for the modulation and regulation of cellular functions, drug development and protein engineering.

Nucleic acid aptamers are becoming popular as molecular probes for identification and imaging pathology and, at the same time, as a convenient platform for targeted therapy. Recent studies have shown that aptamers may be effectively used for tumor characterization and as commercially available monoclonal antibodies. Here we present three DNA aptamers binding to whole transformed lung cancer tissues, including tumor cells, connective tissues, and blood vessels. Protein targets have been revealed using affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry analyses, and they have been validated using a panel of correspondent antibodies and 3D imaging of tumor tissues. Each of the proteins targeted by the aptamers is involved in cancer progression and most of them are crucial for lung adenocarcinoma. We propose the use of these aptamers in aptahistochemistry for the characterization of the histological structure of lung adenocarcinoma. The value of the presented aptamers is their application together or separately for indicating the spread of neoplastic transformation, for complex differential diagnostics, and for targeted therapy of the tumor itself as well as all transformed structures of the adjacent tissues. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that these aptamers could be used for intraoperative tumor visualization and margin assessment.

Conformational analysis: Capillary electrophoresis (CE) allows for the rapid separation of slowly interconverting protein conformers. Kinetic analysis (k(open), k(closed), and K(d)) of electropherograms in the presence and absence of effector ligands allows the measurement of kinetic and thermodynamic constants associated with conformational changes and ligand binding.

Rate and equilibrium constants of weak noncovalent molecular interactions are extremely difficult to measure. Here, we introduced a homogeneous approach called equilibrium capillary electrophoresis of equilibrium mixtures (ECEEM) to determine k(on), k(off), and K(d) of weak (K(d) > 1 μM) and fast kinetics (relaxation time, τ < 0.1 s) in quasi-equilibrium for multiple unlabeled ligands simultaneously in one microreactor. Conceptually, an equilibrium mixture (EM) of a ligand (L), target (T), and a complex (C) is prepared. The mixture is introduced into the beginning of a capillary reactor with aspect ratio >1000 filled with T. Afterward, differential mobility of L, T, and C along the reactor is induced by an electric field. The combination of differential mobility of reactants and their interactions leads to a change of the EM peak shape. This change is a function of rate constants, so the rate and equilibrium constants can be directly determined from the analysis of the EM peak shape (width and symmetry) and propagation pattern along the reactor. We proved experimentally the use of ECEEM for multiplex determination of kinetic parameters describing weak (3 mM > K(d) > 80 μM) and fast (0.25 s ≥ τ ≥ 0.9 ms) noncovalent interactions between four small molecule drugs (ibuprofen, S-flurbiprofen, salicylic acid and phenylbutazone) and α- and β-cyclodextrins. The affinity of the drugs was significantly higher for β-cyclodextrin than α-cyclodextrin and mostly determined by the rate constant of complex formation.