Misleading Westerns: Common Quantification Mistakes in Western Blot Densitometry and Proposed Corrective Measures.

ABSTRACT: Densitometry data generated for Western blots are commonly used to compare protein abundance between samples. In the last decade, it has become apparent that assumptions underpinning these comparisons are often violated in studies reporting Western blot data in the literature. These violations can lead to erroneous interpretations of data and may contribute to poor reproducibility of research. We assessed the reliability of Western blot data obtained to study human myometrial tissue proteins. We ran dilution series of protein lysates to explore the linearity of densitometry data. Proteins analysed included αSMA, HSP27, ERK1/2, and GAPDH. While ideal densitometry data are directly proportional to protein abundance, our data confirm that densitometry data often deviate from this ideal

SUBMITTER: Butler TAJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6360618 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature