Nitrated Proteins in the Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Proteomics Comparison of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease Brain

Oxidative stress and nitrosative stress have been reported to play important roles in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, ischemia, etc. Reactive nitrogen species are highly reactive and unstable. One of the best ways to quantify the amount of nitrosative stress is to measure the levels of 3-nitrotyrosine level. In addition, by using proteomics selective targets of protein nitration can be identified. In this chapter we discuss the roles of proteomics-identified nitrated brain proteins to the pathology of both mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The identity of these nitrated proteins improves understanding of the role of nitrosative stress in the pathogenesis and progression of disease from MCI to AD. Such studies could also help in early detection and may provide therapeutic targets for early treatment that may slow disease progression.