Abstract:

Objective: Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) was used to screen serum proteomic profiling to identify protein markers for early breast cancer patients. Methods: We used metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC30-Cu) for serum proteome fractionation technique and identify differentially expressed peptides (m/z; P < 0.0001) from benign disease and healthy controls as potential biomarkers of early breast cancer. The mass spectra, analyzed using ProteinChip Data Manager Software, distinguished between patients and healthy individuals based on k-nearest neighbor genetic algorithm. We collected 70 serum samples from patients with breast cancer (62 invasive breast carcinoma; 8 ductal carcinoma in situ), 31 bening disease and 37 healthy individuals. Results: Forty two peaks showed statistically significantly different intensities between cases and controls (P<0.05); 10 protein peaks were differentially expressed between the patients and benign disease. These results indicate that there are differences in serum protein expression among the three different groups of patients. Conclusion: SELDI-TOF MS could be used to screen blood samples for the early detection of breast cancer patients. Serum proteomic profiling by SELDI-TOF MS is a novel potential tool for the clinical diagnosis of patients with breast carcinoma.

Keywords: