title: Proteomics in thyroid cytopathology: Relevance of MALDI-imaging in distinguishing malignant from benign lesions.
abstract: Several proteomic strategies are used extensively for the purpose of biomarker discovery and in order to obtain insights into the molecular aspects of cancers, using either body fluids or tissue as samples. Among them, MALDI-imaging can be applied to cytological thyroid specimens to investigate the molecular signatures of different pathological conditions and highlight differences in the proteome that are of relevance for diagnostic and pathogenetic research. In this study, 26 ex-vivo fine needle aspirations from benign thyroid nodules (n = 13) and papillary thyroid carcinomas (n = 13) were analyzed by MALDI-imaging. Based on the specific protein signatures capable of distinguishing the aforementioned patients, MALDI-imaging was able to correctly assign, in blind, the specimens from ten additional FNABs to a malignant or benign class, as later confirmed by the morphological classification. Moreover, some proteins presented a progressive overexpression in malignant phenotypes when compared with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hyperplastic/follicular adenoma. This data not only suggests that a MALDI-imaging based approach can be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of thyroid lesions but also in the detection of proteins that have a possible role in the promotion of tumorigenic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Proteomics, University Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pagni
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Proteomics, University Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Sio
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garancini
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scardilli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Proteomics, University Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Clizia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chinello
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Proteomics, University Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrew James
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Proteomics, University Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bono
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leni
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Proteomics, University Milan Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Magni
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D020543:Proteome / Q000235:genetics; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020543:Proteome
keywords: Biomedicine; Cytological smear; MALDI-imaging; Mass spectrometry; Proteomics; Thyroid cancer