Proteomic identification of age-dependent protein nitration in rat skeletal muscle

Age-related protein nitration was studied in skeletal muscle of Fisher 344 and Fisher 344/Brown Norway (BN) F1 rats by a proteomic approach. Proteins from young (4 months) and old (24 months) Fisher 344 rats and young (6 months) and old (34 months) Fisher 344/BN F1 animals were separated by 2-D gel electrophoresis. Western blot showed an age-related increase in the nitration of a few specific proteins, which were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and ESI-MS/MS. We identified age-dependent apparent nitration of β-enolase, α-fructose aldolase, and creatine kinase, which perform important functions in muscle energy metabolism, suggesting that the nitration of such key proteins can be, in part, responsible for the decline of muscle motor function of the muscle. Furthermore, we have identified the apparent nitration of succinate dehydrogenase, rab GDP dissociation inhibitor beta (GdI-2), triosephosphate isomerase, troponin I, α-crystallin, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH).