both species were analyzed during exposure to hyperpolarization/depolarization cycles or in response to application of the amino acid glutamate. We found a superior performance of the UBQ10 promoter with regard to expression pattern, levels and expression stabilities in both species. We observed remarkable differences between the two species in the spatiotemporal parameters of the observed Ca 2+ signatures.Rice appeared in general to respond with a lower maximal signal amplitude but greatly increased signal duration when compared with Arabidopsis. Our results identify important advantages to using the UBQ10 promoter in Arabidopsis and rice and in T-DNA mutant backgrounds. Moreover, the observed differences in Ca 2+ signaling in the two species underscore the need for comparative studies to achieve a comprehensive understanding of Ca 2+ signaling in plants.
DNA aneuploidy has been identified as a prognostic factor for epithelial malignancies. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is a powerful tool for direct analysis of multiple proteins in tissue sections while maintaining the cellular and molecular integrity. We compared diploid and aneuploid colon cancer tissues against normal mucosa of the colon by means of IMS.DNA image cytometry determined the ploidy status of tissue samples that were subsequently subjected to MALDI-IMS. After obtaining protein profiles through direct analysis of tissue sections, a discovery and independent validation set were used to predict ploidy status by applying proteomic classification algorithms [Supervised Neural Network (SNN) and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC)]. Five peaks (m/z 2,395 and 4,977 for diploid vs. aneuploid comparison as well as m/z 3,376, 6,663, and 8,581 for normal mucosa vs. carcinoma comparison) were significant in both SNN and ROC analysis. Among these, m/z 4,977 was identified as thymosin beta 4 (Tβ-4). Tβ-4 was subsequently validated in clinical samples using a tissue microarray to predict overall survival in colon cancer patients.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent malignancies in the Western world. Early tumor detection and intervention are important determinants on CRC patient survival. During early tumor proliferation, dissemination and angiogenesis, platelets store and segregate proteins actively and selectively. Hence, the platelet proteome is a potential source of biomarkers denoting early malignancy. By comparing protein profiles of platelets between healthy volunteers (n = 12) and patients with early- (n = 7) and late-stage (n = 5) CRCs using multiplex fluorescence two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE), we aimed at identifying differentially regulated proteins within platelets. By inter-group comparisons, 94 differentially expressed protein spots were detected (p < 0.05) between healthy controls and patients with early- and late-stage CRCs and revealed distinct separations between all three groups in principal component analyses. 54 proteins of interest were identified by mass spectrometry and resulted in high-ranked Ingenuity Pathway Analysis networks associated with Cellular function and maintenance, Cellular assembly and organization, Developmental disorder and Organismal injury and abnormalities (p < 0.0001 to p = 0.0495). Target proteins were validated by multiplex fluorescence-based Western blot analyses using an additional, independent cohort of platelet protein samples [healthy controls (n = 15), early-stage CRCs (n = 15), late-stage CRCs (n = 15)]. Two proteins-clusterin and glutathione synthetase (GSH-S)-featured high impact and were subsequently validated in this independent clinical cohort distinguishing healthy controls from patients with early- and late-stage CRCs. Thus, the potential of clusterin and GSH-S as platelet biomarkers for early detection of CRC could improve existing screening modalities in clinical application and should be confirmed in a prospective multicenter trial.
Hallmarks of malignancy can be monitored by protein signatures in serum or plasma. The current challenge in cancer research is the identification of clinically reliable protein biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. A widely used and powerful technique to screen tumor markers is two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). This review provides an overview of 2DE functionality with its advantages and drawbacks as well as a current literature overview of gel-based cancer biomarker discovery in serum/plasma. In this context, 11 of the 12 studies reviewed here identified at least one of eight classical serum or high-abundant proteins (HAPs). Expression levels of those proteins are regulated by a vast variety of different physiological, metabolic and immunological stimuli leading to a questionable application as cancer-specific markers. Misinterpretation of HAPs as tumor markers might be caused by either the experimental setup or the technical and analytical potential in gel-based serum or plasma proteomics to detect low-abundant proteins, or a combination thereof. Additionally, based on currently available technology we propose an optimized experimental workflow to allow detecting cancer-specific protein markers of low abundance in future 2DE studies.
Solid tumor biopsies are the current standard for precision medicine. However, the procedure is invasive and not always feasible. In contrast, liquid biopsies, such as serum enriched for extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a non-invasive source of cancer biomarkers. In this study, we compared two EV isolation methods in the context of the protein biomarker detection in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Using serum samples of a healthy cohort as well as CRC and IBD patients, EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and ExoQuick™ in parallel. EV associated protein profiles were compared by multiplex-fluorescence two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and subsequent identification by mass spectrometry. Validation of gelsolin (GSN) was performed using fluorescence-quantitative western blot. 2D-DIGE resolved 936 protein spots in all serum-enriched EVs isolated by ultracentrifugation or ExoQuick™. Hereof, 93 spots were differently expressed between isolation approaches. Higher levels of GSN in EVs obtained with ExoQuick™ compared to ultracentrifugation were confirmed by western blot (p = 0.0006). Although patient groups were distinguishable after both EV isolation approaches, sample preparation strongly influences EVs’ protein profile and thus impacts on inter-study reproducibility, biomarker identification and validation. The results stress the need for strict SOPs in EV research before clinical implementation can be reached.
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