Impact of Protein Stability, Cellular Localization, and Abundance on Proteomic Detection of Tumor-Derived Proteins in Plasma
2011

Impact of Protein Properties on Detecting Tumor-Derived Proteins in Blood

Sample size: 10 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Fang Qiaojun, Kani Kian, Faca Vitor M., Zhang Wenxuan, Zhang Qing, Jain Anjali, Hanash Sam, Agus David B., McIntosh Martin W., Mallick Parag

Primary Institution: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Hypothesis

How do protein stability, cellular localization, and abundance affect the detection of tumor-derived proteins in plasma?

Conclusion

The study found that extracellular and stable proteins are more likely to be detected in plasma than intracellular proteins.

Supporting Evidence

  • 20% of proteins identified in plasma were tumor-derived.
  • Extracellular proteins were seven times more likely to be detected in plasma than intracellular proteins.
  • Doubling the spectral count increased detection rate by only 50%.
  • Stable proteins were significantly more likely to be identified in plasma than less stable proteins.

Takeaway

This study shows that proteins from tumors can be found in blood, and those that are secreted and stable are easier to detect.

Methodology

Proteomic profiling was performed on tumors and plasma from xenograft mouse models, followed by statistical analysis of protein properties.

Limitations

The model may not fully reflect human disease due to differences in tumor burden and localization.

Participant Demographics

Mice with human tumor xenografts were used in the study.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0023090

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