TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF PROTEINS DIRECTLY FROM 2D-PAGE: AN EFFICIENT STRATEGY FOR METALLOPROTEOMICS

Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a sensitive analytical method to detect the total concentrations of elements in biological samples, but it is unable to identify molecules that can bind to metals, and for this reason it is vital to combine this method's use with other biochemical techniques. Therefore, in order to identify elements complexed to specific proteins, a very relevant combination of bidimensional electrophoresis followed by ICP-MS was used. Protein spots from gels were excised and submitted directly to element detection, a method not reported before. This report focused on the use of plasma from people with laryngeal carcinoma. Most elements were below detection level, with only Cr and Pb being observed in all samples. Although the relationship between metals and laryngeal cancer was not conclusive, it is possible to affirm that the methodology utilized here is successful and has the advantage of determining to which proteins the elements bind.     

Comparative proteome analysis of breast cancer and normal breast

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death for women. The underlying molecular mechanism is still not well understood. In this study, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry was used to analyze changes in the proteome of infiltrating ductal carcinoma compared to normal breast tissue. Ten sets of two-dimensional gels per experimental condition were analyzed and more than 500 spots each were detected. This revealed 39 spots for which expression in breast cancer cells were reproducibly altered more than twofold compared to normal controls (p<0.01). These spots represented 25 different proteins after identification using the database search after mass spectrometry, comprising cell defense proteins, enzymes involved in glycolytic energy metabolism and homeostasis, protein folding and structural proteins, proteins involved in cytoskeleton and cell motility, and proteins involved in other functions. In addition, 28 nondifferentially expressed proteins with different functions were also mapped and identified, which might help to establish a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis reference map of human breast cancer. Our study shows that proteomics offers a powerful methodology to detect the proteins that show different expression patterns in breast cancer tissue and may provide an accurate molecular classification. The differentially expressed proteins may be used as potential candidate markers for diagnostic purposes or for determination of tumor sensitivity to therapy. The functional implications of the identified proteins are discussed.     

Comparative proteomics analysis of human lung squamous carcinoma

Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) profiles of human lung squamous carcinoma tissue and paired surrounding normal bronchial epithelial tissue were compared. Selected differential protein-spots were identified with peptide mass fingerprinting based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and database searching. Well-resolved and reproducible 2-DE patterns of both the tumor and the normal tissues were acquired. The average deviations of spot position were 0.873+/-0.125mm in IEF direction and 1.025+/-0.213mm in SDS-PAGE direction, respectively. For the tumor tissues, a total of 1349+/-67 spots were detected and 1235+/-48 spots were matched with an average matching rate of 91.5%. For the corresponding normal tissues, a total of 1297+/-73 spots were detected and 1183+/-56 spots were matched with an average matching rate of 91.2%. A total of 1069+/-45 spots were matched between the tumor and the normal tissues. Forty differential proteins between tumor and normal tissues were characterized. Some proteins were the products of oncogenes and others were involved in the regulation of cell cycle and signal transduction. These data are valuable for mass identification of differentially expressed proteins involved in lung carcinogenesis, establishing human lung cancer proteome database and screening molecular marker to further study human lung squamous carcinoma.     

Trace element analysis of proteins directly from 2d-page: an efficient strategy for metalloproteomics

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a sensitive analytical method to detect the total concentrations of elements in biological samples, but it is unable to identify molecules that can bind to metals, and for this reason it is vital to combine this method's use with other biochemical techniques. Therefore, in order to identify elements complexed to specific proteins, a very relevant combination of bidimensional electrophoresis followed by ICP-MS was used. Protein spots from gels were excised and submitted directly to element detection, a method not reported before. This report focused on the use of plasma from people with laryngeal carcinoma. Most elements were below detection level, with only Cr and Pb being observed in all samples. Although the relationship between metals and laryngeal cancer was not conclusive, it is possible to affirm that the methodology utilized here is successful and has the advantage of determining to which proteins the elements bind.     

Plasma proteome analysis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Although cervical cancer is preventable with early detection, it remains the second most common malignancy among women. An understanding of how proteins change in their expression during a particular diseased state such as cervical cancer will contribute to an understanding of how the disease develops and progresses. Potentially, it may also lead to the ability to predict the occurrence of the disease. With this in mind, we aimed to identify differentially expressed proteins in the plasma of cervical cancer patients. Plasma from control, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 3 and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) stage IV subjects was resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and the resulting proteome profiles compared. Differentially expressed protein spots were then identified by mass spectrometry. Eighteen proteins were found to be differentially expressed in the plasma of CIN 3 and SCC stage IV samples when compared with that of controls. Competitive ELISA further validated the expression of cytokeratin 19 and tetranectin. Functional analyses of these differentially expressed proteins will provide further insight into their potential role(s) in cervical cancer-specific monitoring and therapeutics.     

2D differential in-gel electrophoresis for the identification of esophageal scans cell cancer-specific protein markers

The reproducibility of conventional two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis can be improved using differential in-gel electrophoresis (DIGE), a new emerging technology for proteomic analysis. In DIGE, two pools of proteins are labeled with 1-(5-carboxypentyl)-1'-propylindocarbocyanine halide (Cy3) N-hydroxy-succinimidyl ester and 1-(5-carboxypentyl)-1'-methylindodi-carbocyanine halide (Cy5) N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester fluorescent dyes, respectively. The labeled proteins are mixed and separated in the same 2D gel. 2D DIGE was applied to quantify the differences in protein expression between laser capture microdissection-procured esophageal carcinoma cells and normal epithelial cells and to define cancer-specific and normal-specific protein markers. Analysis of the 2D images from protein lysates of approximately 250,000 cancer cells and normal cells identified 1038 protein spots in cancer cell lysates and 1088 protein spots in normal cell lysates. Of the detected proteins, 58 spots were up-regulated by >3-fold and 107 were down-regulated by >3-fold in cancer cells. In addition to previously identified down-regulated protein annexin I, tumor rejection antigen (gp96) was found up-regulated in esophageal squamous cell cancer. Global quantification of protein expression between laser capture-microdissected patient-matched cancer cells and normal cells using 2D DIGE in combination with mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for the molecular characterization of cancer progression and identification of cancer-specific protein markers.     

Studies on glyphosate-induced carcinogenicity in mouse skin: A proteomic approach

Glyphosate is a widely used broad spectrum herbicide, reported to induce various toxic effects in non-target species, but its carcinogenic potential is still unknown. Here we showed the carcinogenic effects of glyphosate using 2-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model and proteomic analysis. Carcinogenicity study revealed that glyphosate has tumor promoting activity. Proteomic analysis using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry showed that 22 spots were differentially expressed (> 2 fold) on glyphosate, 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) application over untreated control. Among them, 9 proteins (translation elongation factor eEF-1 alpha chain, carbonic anhydrase III, annexin II, calcyclin, fab fragment anti-VEGF antibody, peroxiredoxin-2, superoxide dismutase [Cu–Zn], stefin A3, and calgranulin-B) were common and showed similar expression pattern in glyphosate and TPA-treated mouse skin. These proteins are known to be involved in several key processes like apoptosis and growth-inhibition, anti-oxidant responses, etc. The up-regulation of calcyclin, calgranulin-B and down-regulation of superoxide dismutase [Cu–Zn] was further confirmed by immunoblotting, indicating that these proteins can be good candidate biomarkers for skin carcinogenesis induced by glyphosate. Altogether, these results suggested that glyphosate has tumor promoting potential in skin carcinogenesis and its mechanism seems to be similar to TPA.     

iTRAQ-Based Quantitative Proteomic Analysis on S100 Calcium Binding Protein A2 in Metastasis of Laryngeal Cancer

Laryngeal cancer is the most frequent neoplasm in the head and neck region, with the vast majority of tumors originating from squamous cells. The survival rate of patients with laryngeal cancer has not improved substantially over the past 25 years. To acquire further knowledge regarding the molecules responsible for laryngeal cancer oncogenesis and, in turn, to improve target therapy，iTRAQ and mass spectrometry analysis were utilized to detect differences in protein expression from 15 paired laryngeal cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples. Using mass spectrometry analysis, the expression levels of 100 proteins in laryngeal cancer samples were distinct from the non-tumor, non-cancerous samples. Further validation of the differentially expressed proteins S100A2, KRT16, FGB and HSPB1 were carried out using quantitative real-time RT-PCR, immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. Functional analysis of one of the highly expressed proteins, S100 calcium binding protein A2 (S100A2), was performed using RNA interference. As a consequence, attenuated S100A2 expression enhanced the ability of HEp-2 cell lines to migrate and invade in vitro. Our investigation complements the current understanding of laryngeal cancer progression. Furthermore, this study supports the concept that enhanced expression of S100A2 may be a promising strategy in developing novel cancer therapeutic drugs.     

应用二维电泳和质谱技术筛选喉癌及癌旁组织中的差异表达蛋白质

目的分离并鉴定喉癌和癌旁正常粘膜组织的差异表达蛋白质,为喉癌早期临床诊断、治疗提供新的有关的肿瘤生物学标记和靶标。方法收集5对人喉癌组织和对应的癌旁正常粘膜组织,提取组织总蛋白质,采用二维凝胶电泳技术分离蛋白并进行比较。选择在喉癌中明显差异表达的蛋白质点,进行质谱分析。结果获得了分辨率和重复性均较好的凝胶蛋白图谱。筛选出的在喉癌及癌旁正常粘膜组织中明显差异表达的10个蛋白质点,并成功鉴定。其中在喉癌组织中高表达的7个,低表达的3个。结论喉癌组织与癌旁正常粘膜组织蛋白存在明显的差异,筛选并鉴定出的这些蛋白质可能成为喉癌早期临床诊断、治疗的标志物和靶标。     

Proteomic analysis of tumor establishment and growth in the B16-F10 mouse melanoma model

The B16-F10 mouse model of melanoma is a widely used model to study many aspects of cancer biology and therapeutics in a solid tumor. Melanomas aggressively progress within a dynamic microenvironment containing in addition to tumor cells, stroma cells and components such as fibroblasts, immune cells, vascular cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) and extracellular molecules. The goal of this study was to elucidate the processes of tumor progression by identifying differentially expressed proteins in the tumor mass during specific stages of tumor growth. A comparative proteome analysis was performed on B16-F10 derived tumors in C57BL/6 mice at days 3, 5, 7, and 10. Statistical approaches were used to determine quantitative differential protein expression at each tumor time stage. Hierarchical clustering of 44 protein spots (p < 0.01) revealed a progressive change in the tumor mass when all 4 time stages were classified together, but there was a clear switch in expression of these proteins between the day 5 and the day 7 tumors. A trend analysis showed 53 protein spots (p < 0.001) following 6 predominant kinetic paths of expression as the tumor progressed. The protein spots were then identified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Proteins involved in glycolysis, inflammation, wounding, superoxide metabolism, and chemotaxis increased during tumorigenesis. From day 3 to day 7 VEGF and active cathepsin D were induced 7-fold and 4-fold, respectively. Proteins involved in electron transport, protein folding, blood coagulation, and transport decreased during tumorigenesis. This work illustrates changes in the biology of the B16-F10 tumor mass during tumor progression.     

Proteomic profiling for cancer progression: Differential display analysis for the expression of intracellular proteins between regressive and progressive cancer cell lines

Tumor development and progression consist of a series of complex processes involving multiple changes in gene expression (Paolo et al. Physiol. Rev., 1993, 73, 161-195; Lance et al. Cell., 1991, 64, 327-336). Tumor cells acquire an invasive and metastatic phenotype that is the main cause of death for cancer patients. Therefore, for early diagnosis and effective therapeutic intervention, we need to detect the alterations associated with transition from benign to malignant tumor cells on a molecular basis. To unravel alterations concerned with tumor progression, the proteomic approach has attracted great attention because it can identify qualitative and quantitative changes in protein composition, including post-translational modifications. In this study, we performed proteomic differential display analysis for the expression of intracellular proteins in the regressive cancer cell line QR-32 and the inflammatory cell-promoting progressive cancer cell line QRsP-11 of murine fibrosarcoma by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry using an Agilent 1100 LC/MSD Trap XCT. We found 11 protein spots whose expression was different between QR-32 and QRsP-11 cells and identified nine proteins, seven of which, calreticulin precursor, tropomyosin 1 alpha chain, annexin A5, heat shock protein (HSP)90-alpha, HSP90-beta, PEBP, and Prx II, were over-expressed, and two, Anp32e and HDGF, which were down-regulated. The results suggest an important complementary role for proteomics in identification of molecular abnormalities in tumor progression.     

Proteomic analysis reveals upregulation of RKIP in S‐180 implanted BALB/C mouse after treatment with ascorbic acid

Tumor cells have an invasive and metastatic phenotype that is the main cause of death for cancer patients. Tumor establishment and penetration consists of a series of complex processes involving multiple changes in gene expression. In this study, intraperitoneal administration of a high concentration of ascorbic acid inhibited tumor establishment and increased survival of BALB/C mice implanted with S‐180 sarcoma cancer cells. To identify proteins involved in the ascorbic acid‐mediated inhibition of tumor progression, changes in the liver proteome associated with ascorbic acid treatment of BALB/C mice implanted with S‐180 were investigated using two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Eleven protein spots were identified whose expression was different between control and ascorbic acid treatment groups. In particular, Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) and annexin A5 expression were quantitatively up‐regulated. The increase in RKIP protein level was detected in the tumor tissue and accompanied by an increase in mRNA level. Our results suggest a possibility that these proteins are related to the ascorbic acid‐mediated suppression of tumor formation. J. Cell. Biochem. 106: 1136–1145, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

赤子爱胜蚓（Eisenia foetida）中抗肿瘤与纤溶酶原激酶活性蛋白质的分离与鉴定

采用SephadexG 75和HiPrep 1 6 / 6 0DEAE离子交换等方法从赤子爱胜蚓 (Eiseniafoetida)中提取到一组活性蛋白质成分 ,双向电泳分析证明它们为一组pI在 3 .0～ 4 .0之间的酸性蛋白质 ;利用体外K5 6 2、HeLa、SY5Y等肿瘤细胞抑制实验和纤维蛋白平板实验 ,跟踪测定活性 ,证明乙醇沉淀组分D2 (8)是既具肿瘤抑制 ,又具有激酶活性的蛋白质成分。同时应用非变性电泳对乙醇沉淀组分进行分离 ,并利用电洗脱、凝胶原位酶解和ESI MS等蛋白质组学方法 ,鉴定了其中 6种蛋白质的分子量、氨基酸组成、N末端序列和肽质量指纹图信息 ,其中条带 9与D2 (8)组分为同一种蛋白质 ;研究证明蚯蚓中含有既具抗肿瘤活性又具有激酶活性的蛋白质成分。采用的方法可适用于活性蛋白质成分的整体分离与鉴定     

Proteomic analysis of primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma reveals downregulation of a cell adhesion protein, periplakin

Recent advances in two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) such as fluorescent 2-D differential gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) has made it possible to detect and quantitate the critical changes involved in disease pathogenesis. We have previously identified novel proteins with altered expression in primary colorectal cancer using agarose 2-DE that has a higher loading capacity than immobilized pH gradient gel. The aim of this study is to identify novel proteins with altered expression in primary esophageal cancer using the powerful method of agarose 2-DE and agarose 2-D DIGE. Excised tissues from 12 patients of primary esophageal cancer were obtained. Proteins with altered expression between cancer and adjacent non-cancer tissues were analyzed by agarose 2-D DIGE and identified by mass spectrometry. Thirty-three proteins out of 74 spots with altered expression in tumors were identified. Among them, a 195-kDa protein, periplakin, was significantly downregulated in esophageal cancer, which was confirmed by immunoblotting. Immunohistochemistry showed that periplakin was mainly localized at cell-cell boundaries in normal epithelium and dysplastic lesions, while it disappeared from cell boundaries, shifted to cytoplasm, in early cancers and scarcely expressed in advanced cancers. These results suggest that periplakin could be a useful marker for detection of early esophageal cancer and evaluation of tumor progression.     

Proteomic analysis of the effect of retinoic acids on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in many areas and is increasing found in developing countries, where the majority of cases are diagnosed in late stages. Retinoic acids, through their associated nuclear receptors, exert intoxicating effects on cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis, and hold significant promise in relation to cancer therapy and chemoprevention. To enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with retinoic acids in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in a time-dependent manner, we conducted a proteomic analysis of MCF-7 cells using the 2-DE couple with high-throughput mass spectrometry and bioinformatics tools. In the 2-DE patterns of MCF-7 cells treated with retinoic acid in a time-dependent manner, 35 protein spots were found to be differentially expressed. These were 17 increased, 4 decreased, and 14 unevenly expressed protein spots, all of which were analyzed using LTQ-FTICR mass spectrometry. Furthermore, five candidate proteins, up-regulated, were validated by western blotting. These were nucleoredoxin, latexin, aminomethyltransferase, translationally controlled one tumor protein, and rab GDP dissociation inhibitor β. These observations represent novel findings leading to new insight into the exact mechanism behind the effect of retinoic acids in MCF-7 cells while also identifying possible therapeutic targets for breast cancer diagnosis and novel drug development paths for the treatment of this disease.     

Identification of clinically relevant protein targets in prostate cancer with 2D-DIGE coupled mass spectrometry and systems biology network platform

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common type of cancer found in men and among the leading causes of cancer death in the western world. In the present study, we compared the individual protein expression patterns from histologically characterized PCa and the surrounding benign tissue obtained by manual micro dissection using highly sensitive two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with mass spectrometry. Proteomic data revealed 118 protein spots to be differentially expressed in cancer (n = 24) compared to benign (n = 21) prostate tissue. These spots were analysed by MALDI-TOF-MS/MS and 79 different proteins were identified. Using principal component analysis we could clearly separate tumor and normal tissue and two distinct tumor groups based on the protein expression pattern. By using a systems biology approach, we could map many of these proteins both into major pathways involved in PCa progression as well as into a group of potential diagnostic and/or prognostic markers. Due to complexity of the highly interconnected shortest pathway network, the functional sub networks revealed some of the potential candidate biomarker proteins for further validation. By using a systems biology approach, our study revealed novel proteins and molecular networks with altered expression in PCa. Further functional validation of individual proteins is ongoing and might provide new insights in PCa progression potentially leading to the design of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.