The proteome is complex
Choose the platform that affords the broadest and deepest view of the proteome.
Exceptional dynamic range
Human serum/plasma contains proteins that differ in concentration by many orders of magnitude. Most multiplexed proteomic platforms measure a small number of proteins spanning a very narrow dynamic range (typically 2-4 log).
To account for the dynamic range problem, typically one of two approaches are used: Either samples undergo pre-treatment, or targeted panels are used to measure proteins over a particular range. Both approaches have significant shortcomings.
The SomaScan® Assay uses a serial dilution approach to accomplish thousands of protein measurements over a 10-log dynamic range (from femtomolar to micromolar), without pre-treatment. The exceptional dynamic range afforded by the SomaScan Assay makes it an ideal high-throughput platform for biomarker discovery and validation.
Traditional technologies fall short in addressing dynamic range
Strategy 1:
Pre-treatment
High-abundant proteins are removed by depletion or the sample is fractionated prior to protein measurement.
Shortcomings
- Increased sample handling
- Low-abundant proteins may be lost during handling
- Abundant proteins can be physiologically important
- Inconsistency
- Increased cost
Strategy 2:
Panels
Panels which exclude very abundant proteins are designed to measure a subset of proteins (typically 10-100) predicted to be associated with a particular disease state.
Shortcomings
- Relies on expected outcomes: not ideal for discovery
- Panels designed for disease applications may not perform well on controls
- Breadth of protein coverage is limited by the size of the panel
The SomaScan Assay achieves
a 10-log dynamic range
The first step of the SomaScan Assay is the dilution of a biological sample of interest. The sample dilutions are incubated with the respective SOMAmer Reagent mixes.
The large dynamic range of the SomaScan Assay results from the detection range of each SOMAmer Reagent in combination with three serial dilutions of the sample. The least concentrated sample is designed to detect the most abundant proteins, and the most concentrated solution is designed to detect the least abundant proteins.
The SomaScan Assay robustly measures analytes spanning a range of 10 logs in human plasma or serum (e.g. albumin to interleukins or interferons).
Don’t take our word for it.
Here’s what our customers say.
100%
In a customer survey, 100% of surveyed organizations said they are satisfied or very satisfied with the SomaScan Platform’s dynamic range.
40%
In a customer survey, 40% of respondents listed dynamic range as one of their reasons for selecting the SomaScan Platform.