title: Reference spectra from squamous epithelium and connective tissue allow whole section proteomics analysis.
abstract: We reasoned that micro-dissection of tumour cells for protein expression studies should be omitted since tumour-stroma interactions are an important part of the biology of solid tumours. To study such interactions in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) development, we generated reference protein spectra for normal squamous epithelium and connective tissue by SELDI-TOF-MS. Calgranulins A and B, Annexin1 and Histone H4 were found to be strongly enriched in the epithelium. The alpha-defensins 1-3 and the haemoglobin subunits were identified in the connective tissue. Tumour-distant epithelia, representing early pre-malignant lesions, showed up-regulated expression of the stromal alpha-defensins, whereas the epithelial Annexin 1 was down-regulated. Thus, tumour microenvironment interactions occur very early in the carcinogenic process. These data demonstrate that omitting micro-dissection is actually beneficial for studying changes in protein expression during development and progression of solid tumours.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roesch-Ely
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schnölzer
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nees
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Plinkert
authors.forename: Franz X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Bosch
mesh_terms: D017302:Annexins / Q000032:analysis; D040501:Calgranulin A / Q000032:analysis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D042282:Microdissection; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D040081:Protein Array Analysis / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012015:Reference Standards; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017302:Annexins; D040501:Calgranulin A; D006454:Hemoglobins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D023084:alpha-Defensins