Proteomics study of N-acetylcysteine response in H1N1-infected cells by using mass spectrometry

Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2014 Apr 15;28(7):741-9. doi: 10.1002/rcm.6840.

Abstract

Rationale: The pathology of A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) infection associated with the interaction of virus and its host cells is not clear. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant as well as a premier antitoxin and immune support substance. A high dose of NAC was recently reported for a therapy of H1N1 (2009) influenza pneumonia.

Methods: NAC was used as a small-molecule organic probe to investigate the protein expression of human lung carcinoma cell line (A549) infected by influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1). Differential proteins were identified from MALDI-TOF MS and Q-TOF MS/MS analyses.

Results: The obtained results showed that NAC kept cells away from apoptosis. Virus-infected cells were arrested in G0/G1 phase. The lowest cell population of G0/G1 phase was detected when the cells were treated by 10 mM NAC for one day. Application of MS-based proteomics allowed the identification of the differential proteins. Software analysis showed that four proteins had close relationship.

Conclusions: The results indicated that NAC as a small-molecule probe might effect the protein expression of A549 cells infected by the H1N1 virus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcysteine / pharmacology*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype*
  • Influenza, Human / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Proteins / analysis
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Proteome* / analysis
  • Proteome* / chemistry
  • Proteome* / drug effects
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Proteome
  • Acetylcysteine