Proteomic analysis of cell surface membrane proteins in leukemic cells.

Plasma membrane proteins play a key role in cellular processes such as migration, adhesion, and cell survival. The comprehensive annotation of the leukemic cell plasma membrane proteome allows the identification of proteins that may be involved in the pathogenesis of disease and may provide novel therapeutic targets. The identification of known adhesion molecules or novel proteins with similar attributes to adhesion molecules provides the starting point for the generation of hypothesis on the role of these proteins in adhesion processes. In order to identify these novel proteins, we have developed a proteomics methodology using purified plasma membranes prepared from human leukemic cells.