Analysis of differencial protein expression in large and small neoplastic islands by mass spectrometry based proteomics and its relationship with prognosis

Author(s)

Carolina Carneiro Soares Macedo

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Piracicaba, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba
• Defense date: 2015-07-30

Examining board members

Adriana Franco Paes Leme; Eloiza Helena Tajara da Silva; Marcelo Rocha Marques

• Advisor: Ricardo Della Coletta; Adriana Franco Paes Leme

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common type of malignant tumor in head and neck, with high prevalence and morbidity. Treatment is based on inaccurate classification systems and the prognosis is poor in many cases. Different histological patterns have been described in an attempt to better understand the course of the disease, predict prognosis and assist in treatment. Different areas of the tumor have different morphological and molecular characteristics resulting in specific clinical behaviors, and recent studies point to the region of tumor invasion as an area of interest for molecular profile analysis and identification of possible prognostic markers. The pattern of neoplastic invasion is related to tumor aggressiveness and the presence of islands in the invasive front has been described as worst invasion pattern. The objective of this work was to compare the protein differential expression of large and small islands neoplastic from the front and the inner tumor, and to correlate these proteins with prognosis. Proteomics was associated with laser microdissection (ML), and together they are considered robustness tools to identify proteins in neoplastic tissues in specific regions of interest. Twenty surgical specimens of oral tongue SCC fixed in paraffin were subjected to ML to obtain sample composed by the following regions of tissue: 1) large neoplastic frontal islands, 2) small neoplastic islands of the frontal region, 3) large neoplastic islands inside the tumor and 4) small islands within the neoplastic tumor, followed by extraction and analysis of proteins by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The functional annotation of proteins and correlation with clinicopathological data from patients were performed. A total of 1906 proteins were identified, with 1480 common proteins between the four regions studied. Two proteins were exclusives in the large islands of the forehead and seven in large islands in the interior. Eighty-five proteins were differentially expressed between the front region and inner tumor, and of these, 57 were related to clinical and pathological data. The biological processes such as development of the epidermis, cell adhesion, apoptosis, cell cycle, disassembly of the extracellular matrix and gene expression, evidenced among the differentially expressed proteins confirmed the molecular changes associated with neoplastic progression. The combination of ML, MS, and bioinformatics was able to identify a panel of proteins that may help to unravel the course of oral SCC, predicting aggressiveness and prognosis. In addition, this approach may also help in understanding the differences and signaling mechanisms between different areas of the tumor tissue (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/02288-4 - Analysis of differential protein expression in large and small neoplastic islands by mass spectrometry-based proteomics and its relationship with prognosis
• Grantee: Carolina Carneiro Soares Macedo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master