Urinary proteomics based on capillary electrophoresis-coupled mass spectrometry in kidney disease: discovery and validation of biomarkers, and clinical application.

Use of capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS) technology in proteome analysis has increased, with a focus on the identification of biomarker peptides in clinical proteomics. Among the reported applications, the main focus is on the urinary biomarkers for kidney disease. In this review, we discuss the principal, theoretical, and practical obstacles that are encountered when using CE-MS for the analysis of body fluids for biomarker discovery. We present several examples of a successful application of CE-MS for biomarker discovery in kidney disease, implications for disease diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy evaluation, and will also discuss current challenges and possible future improvements.