Pancreatic cancer-associated diabetes mellitus: an open field for proteomic applications.
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus is associated with pancreatic cancer in more than 80% of the cases. Clinical, epidemiological, and experimental data indicate that pancreatic cancer causes diabetes mellitus by releasing soluble mediators which interfere with both beta-cell function and liver and muscle glucose metabolism.


METHODS
We analysed, by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF), a series of pancreatic cancer cell lines conditioned media, pancreatic cancer patients' peripheral and portal sera, comparing them with controls and chronic pancreatitis patients' sera.


RESULTS
MALDI-TOF analysis of pancreatic cancer cells conditioned media and patients' sera indicated a low molecular weight peptide to be the putative pancreatic cancer-associated diabetogenic factor. The sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of tumor samples from diabetic and non-diabetic patients revealed the presence of a 1500 Da peptide only in diabetic patients. The amino acid sequence of this peptide corresponded to the N-terminal of an S-100 calcium binding protein, which was therefore suggested to be the pancreatic cancer-associated diabetogenic factor.


CONCLUSIONS
We identified a tumor-derived peptide of 14 amino acids sharing a 100% homology with an S-100 calcium binding protein, which is probably the pancreatic cancer-associated diabetogenic factor.
Basso
Daniela
D
Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, Padova 35128, Italy.
Greco
Eliana
E
Fogar
Paola
P
Pucci
Piero
P
Flagiello
Angela
A
Baldo
Goretta
G
Giunco
Silvia
S
Valerio
Anna
A
Navaglia
Filippo
F
Zambon
Carlo-Federico
CF
Pedrazzoli
Sergio
S
Plebani
Mario
M
D000818:Animals; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics
D005947:Glucose