Post-translational Modifications in Brain Diseases: A Future for Biomarkers

Several omic fields have been used in the development of biomarker panels, most traditionally involving genetics and proteomics. The post-translational modification of proteins, however, is an important regulatory system of many biological processes, affecting a wide range of biochemical properties of proteins, including their binding, localization, activity, and stability. These modifications are not analyzed if not specifically searched for in proteomic workflows, making them an underrepresented source of important information in the field of biomarker research. Biomarkers can particularly benefit the diagnosis and prognosis of neurological and psychiatric diseases due to the difficulty of accessing tissue and distinguishing between multiple possible conditions. In this article, post-translational modifications in the context of brain disease are compiled, highlighting the potential that this data source holds for improving the field of medicine.