Morphoproteomic and pharmacoproteomic correlates in hormone-receptor-negative breast carcinoma cell lines.
The aim of this study was to elucidate protein circuitry in breast cancer based on the profiling of hormone-receptor-negative breast carcinomas using morphoproteomic and pharmacoproteomic techniques. Three human breast carcinoma cell lines (SKBR-3, MDA-175, MDA-231) were reacted by immunohistochemical (IHC) procedures to detect several categories of protein analytes. Immunoreactivities and cell compartmentalizations were scored from 0 to 3+ positivity using bright-field microscopy. An automated cellular imaging system (ACIS) was used to obtain a final combined score of staining intensity and positive cells in the IHC reactions, to enable comparisons with the visual scores and the rates of inhibition by pharmaceutical agents. FDA-approved inhibitors that target the protein circuitry were added to the cultures for 2-4 days. Proliferation assays were conducted, and in vitro inhibition rates were calculated as (control - treated)/control. Western blot analyses of whole cell lysates assessed the effects of the pharmaceutical agents on selected aspects of protein circuitry. Good to excellent correlation was observed between visual scores and ACIS scores (r values from 0.732 to 0.996 in 10 of 11 trials). Gleevec produced growth inhibition that correlated with the composite expressions of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) family of ligands and receptors; captopril inhibited only MDA-175, consistent with its unique expression of plasmalemmal angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE); and interferon (IFN)-alpha effected growth inhibition in accordance with the degree of conventional (c) protein kinase C (PKC)-alpha and phosphorylated (p)-PKCalpha/betaII expressions. Western blot analyses revealed correlative changes of several intracellular signals following incubation with these inhibitors. This study shows (a) a close association between the immunohistochemical expression of signal transduction markers and in vitro inhibition by pharmaceutical agents, and (b) correlations between the sites of action of the pharmaceutical agents and the downstream expression of proteins in hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer cell lines. Such morphoproteomic and pharmacoproteomic profiling of individual tumors may enable the pathologist and oncologist to design antitumor therapy that is customized for an individual patient.
Division of Laboratory Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA 17822-0131, USA. rebrown@geisinger.edu
Robert E
RE
Brown
Mingyue
M
Lun
Jeffrey W
JW
Prichard
Thomas M
TM
Blasick
Ping L
PL
Zhang
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001549:Benzamides; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D040901:Proteomics; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D006728:Hormones; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D002216:Captopril