Overexpression of annexin A2 is associated with abnormal ubiquitination in breast cancer

Abnormal expression of annexin A2 contributes to metastasis and infiltration of cancer cells. To elucidate the cause of abnormal expression of annexin A2, Western blotting, immunoproteomics and immunohistochemical staining were performed to analyze differentially ubiquitinated proteins between fresh breast cancer tissue and its adjacent normal breast tissue from five female volunteers. We detected an ubiquitinated protein that was up-regulated in the cancer tissue, which was further identified as annexin A2 by mass spectrometry. These results suggest that abnormal ubiquitination and/or degradation of annexin A2 may lead to presence of annexin A2 at high level, which may further promote metastasis and infiltration of the breast cancer cells.