Protein expression profile using two-dimensional gel analysis in squamous cervical cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
Screening in cervical cancer is now progressing to discover candidate genes and proteins that may serve as biological markers and that play a role in tumor progression. We examined the protein expression patterns of the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tissues from Korean women with using two- dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI- TOF) mass spectrometer.


METHODS
Normal cervix and SCC tissues were solubilized and 2-DE was performed using pH 3 approximately 10 linear IPG strips of 17 cm length. The protein expression was evaluated using PDQuest 2-D software. The differentially expressed protein spots were identified with a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer, and the peptide mass spectra identifications were performed using the Mascot program and by searching the Swiss-prot or NCBInr databases.


RESULTS
A total of 35 proteins were detected in SCC. 17 proteins were up-regulated and 18 proteins were down-regulated. Among the proteins that were identified, 12 proteins (pigment epithelium derived factor, annexin A2 and A5, keratin 19 and 20, heat shock protein 27, smooth muscle protein 22 alpha, alpha-enolase, squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 and 2, glutathione S-transferase and apolipoprotein a1) were protein previously known to be involved in tumor, and 21 proteins were newly identified in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
2-DE offers the total protein expression profiles of SCC tissues; further characterization of these differentially expressed proteins will give a chance to identify the badly needed tumor-specific diagnostic markers for SCC.
Bae
Su-Mi
SM
Cancer Research Institute, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Min
Hyun-Jin
HJ
Ding
Guo Hua
GH
Kwak
Sun-Young
SY
Cho
Young-Lae
YL
Nam
Kye-Hyun
KH
Park
Choong Hak
CH
Kim
Yong-Wan
YW
Kim
Chong-Kook
CK
Han
Byoung-Don
BD
Lee
Young-Joo
YJ
Kim
Do Kang
DK
Ahn
Woong-Shick
WS