Table 1.

Concepts in toxicoproteomics

	Concepts
Toxicoproteomics	The application of global protein measurement technologies to toxicology research.
Aims	Discovery of
	• Mechanistic insights by identifying key modified proteins in acute chemical and drug-induced injury and as contributors to long-term development of disease.
	• Biomarker and toxicity signature development to better describe and measure toxicity.
	• Systems biology approach to toxicity by placing altered proteins in affected pathways, biochemical systems and signalling networks.
Biomarker	Singular measure of a protein, enzyme activity, or small molecule associated with health, disease or toxicity in a biological sample.
Toxicity Signature	Distinct set of expressed proteins, or genes, that distinguish between health or toxicity in a sample; requires validation and can be generalized to causal or relevant biological processes.
Tier I Analysis	Tier I analysis in toxicoproteomics is protein profiling to identify and quantify proteins in a specific spatial location.
Tier II Analysis	Tier II analysis globally screens protein structural and behavioural properties such as functions, interactions, 3-dimensional structure or post-translational modifications.
Plasma Proteome	Soluble protein fraction of blood that suspends red blood cells, leucocytes and platelets. Serum proteome represents those soluble proteins remaining after clot formation.
Microparticles	Intact vesicles (ectosomes) derived from cell membranes of 0.2−2μM in size that are found in blood.
Protein Adductome	Set of proteins with residues or chemical groups that are capable of `adduct' formation (covalent binding) by small foreign molecules such as drugs or chemicals.
Idiosyncratic Toxicity	Unexpected and relatively rare host responses to therapeutic treatment or chemical exposure of unknown mechanism.