Quantitative proteomic analysis for high-throughput screening of differential glycoproteins in hepatocellular carcinoma serum.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Novel serum biomarkers are required to increase the sensitivity and specificity of serum screening for early HCC diagnosis. This study employed a quantitative proteomic strategy to analyze the differential expression of serum glycoproteins between HCC and normal control serum samples.


METHODS
Lectin affinity chromatography (LAC) was used to enrich glycoproteins from the serum samples. Quantitative mass spectrometric analysis combined with stable isotope dimethyl labeling and 2D liquid chromatography (LC) separations were performed to examine the differential levels of the detected proteins between HCC and control serum samples. Western blot was used to analyze the differential expression levels of the three serum proteins.


RESULTS
A total of 2,280 protein groups were identified in the serum samples from HCC patients by using the 2D LC-MS/MS method. Up to 36 proteins were up-regulated in the HCC serum, whereas 19 proteins were down-regulated. Three differential glycoproteins, namely, fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG), FOS-like antigen 2 (FOSL2), and α-1,6-mannosylglycoprotein 6-β-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase B (MGAT5B) were validated by Western blot. All these three proteins were up-regulated in the HCC serum samples.


CONCLUSIONS
A quantitative glycoproteomic method was established and proven useful to determine potential novel biomarkers for HCC.
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Hua-Jun
HJ
Gao
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Ya-Jing
YJ
Chen
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Duo
D
Zuo
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Ming-Ming
MM
Xiao
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Ying
Y
Li
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Hua
H
Guo
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Ning
N
Zhang
1 Research Center of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Medical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China ; 2 Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
Rui-Bing
RB
Chen
Glycoprotein; hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); mass spectrometry; proteomics; serum