Posttranslational mechanisms play a key role in modifying the abundance and function of cellular proteins. Among these, modification by advanced glycation end products has been shown to accumulate during aging and age-associated diseases but specific protein targets and functional consequences remain largely unexplored. Here, we devise a proteomic strategy to identify sites of carboxymethyllysine modification, one of the most abundant advanced glycation end products. We identify over 1000 sites of protein carboxymethylation in mouse and primary human cells treated with the glycating agent glyoxal. By using quantitative proteomics, we find that protein glycation triggers a proteotoxic response and indirectly affects the protein degradation machinery. In primary endothelial cells, we show that glyoxal induces cell cycle perturbation and that carboxymethyllysine modification reduces acetylation of tubulins and impairs microtubule dynamics. Our data demonstrate the relevance of carboxymethyllysine modification for cellular function and pinpoint specific protein networks that might become compromised during aging.

Background/Objectives: Informed consent is crucial in medical practice, especially for complex treatments such as postoperative radiotherapy for patients with breast cancer. Conventional consent procedures are often based on verbal declarations with a highly condensed but nevertheless large amount of information, which can exceed the recording capacity of patients and lead to misunderstandings. The aim of this study was to develop and test an educational video on breast cancer patients to enhance the informed consent process by improving patients’ understanding and reducing the duration of the subsequent consultation. Methods: The educational video was created after the underlying content was determined by a modified Delphi method in which a panellist of radiation oncologists, nurses, radiation therapists, and former patients participated in successive rounds of topic scoring. After achieving content consent, the video included 19 items to cover key aspects of postoperative radiotherapy in a patient-friendly manner. Fifty breast cancer patients scheduled for postoperative radiotherapy were randomised to watch the video prior to their verbal consultation (n = 25) or to the control group participating in the traditional informed consent process only (n = 25). The duration of the informed consent processes in both arms was recorded. To assess the educational effect of the video, a multiple-choice test was created. In addition, patients’ satisfaction was recorded using a separate questionnaire. Both questionnaires were completed by the patients one to two hours after signing the consent form. Results: The patients in the video group evidenced significantly higher knowledge scores than those who received standard verbal explanations (median number of correct answers 9 vs. 8 out of 10, p = 0.0039). The whole informed consent process was also completed faster in the video group (mean duration 34.7 vs. 46.2 min, p < 0.001). Median satisfaction scores were high in both groups (34 vs. 33 out of 35 points), with no significant differences observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The educational video effectively improved patient understanding and streamlined the informed consent process without compromising patients’ satisfaction. This approach also helps to standardise the delivery of complex medical information, and it can also be adapted to improve the informed consent process for other cancer treatments.