Biomarker discovery in transplantation-proteomic adventure or mission impossible?

Optimal management of transplanted organs requires specific and sensitive biomarkers for immunologic graft monitoring and subsequently patient tailored treatment. Proteomic science has emerged as an attractive tool in clinical biomarker research generating massive amounts of proteomic-driven data. However, critical interpretation of these data requires basic knowledge of proteomic principles and technology. This review provides an overview of proteomic approaches along with their advantages and limitations. Furthermore, this article summarizes the current status of biomarker achievements in the different areas of solid organ transplantation and discusses the hurdles that have precluded routine clinical application of these promising markers so far.