Detection of pancreatic cancer using antibody microarray-based serum protein profiling

The driving force behind oncoproteomics is to identify protein signatures that are associated with a particular malignancy. Here, we have used a recombinant scFv antibody microarray in an attempt to classify sera derived from pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients versus healthy subjects. Based on analysis of nonfractionated, directly labeled, whole human serum proteomes we have identified a protein signature based on 19 nonredundant analytes, that discriminates between cancer patients and healthy subjects. Furthermore, a potential protein signature, consisting of 21 protein analytes, could be defined that was shown to be associated with cancer patients having a life expectancy of <12 months. Taken together, the data suggest that antibody microarray analysis of complex proteomes will be a useful tool to define disease associated protein signatures.