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Updated: May 22, 2026
Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Published on: September 18, 2020
Multidimensional identification of tissue biomarkers of gastric cancer
Tiannan Guo1, Lingling Fan, Wai Har Ng
1School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University , 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551.
Abstract:
Gastric cancer remains highly fatal due to a dearth of diagnostic biomarkers for early stage disease and molecular targets for therapy. Plasma membrane proteins, including cluster of differentiation (CD) proteins and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), are a rich reservoir of biomarkers. Recognizing that interrogating plasma membrane proteins individually overlooks extensive interactions among them, we have systematically investigated the membrane proteomes and transcriptomes of six gastric cancer cell lines. Our data revealed aberrantly high expression of proteins whose functions accurately reflect the clinical phenotype of gastric cancer, and prioritized critical RTKs and CD proteins in gastric cancer. Expression of selected surface proteins was confirmed by flow cytometry and immunostaining of clinical gastric cancer tissues. Close to 90% of the gastric cancer tissues in a cohort showed up-regulation of at least one of four proteins, that is, MET, EPHA2, FGFR2, and CD104/ITGB4. All intestinal type gastric cancer tumors in this cohort overexpressed at least one of a panel of three proteins, MET, FGFR2, and EPHA2. This study reports the first quantitative global landscape of the surface proteome of gastric cancer cells and provides a shortlist of gastric cancer biomarkers.
Insights
Gastric cancer research identified key surface proteins, including MET, EPHA2, FGFR2, and CD104/ITGB4, as potential biomarkers. This study offers a new landscape of gastric cancer cell surface proteins for early diagnosis and targeted therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Gastric cancer lacks early diagnostic biomarkers and effective molecular therapies, contributing to its high fatality.
- Plasma membrane proteins, such as cluster of differentiation (CD) proteins and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), are promising candidates for biomarkers.
- Previous research often overlooked the complex interactions between these membrane proteins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the membrane proteome and transcriptome of gastric cancer cell lines.
- To identify and prioritize critical RTKs and CD proteins as potential biomarkers for gastric cancer.
- To provide a quantitative global landscape of the gastric cancer cell surface proteome.
Main Methods:
- Systematic investigation of membrane proteomes and transcriptomes in six gastric cancer cell lines.
- Prioritization of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and cluster of differentiation (CD) proteins based on expression and function.
- Validation of selected surface protein expression using flow cytometry and immunostaining on clinical gastric cancer tissues.
Main Results:
- Aberrantly high expression of proteins reflecting gastric cancer's clinical phenotype was observed.
- Close to 90% of gastric cancer tissues showed up-regulation of at least one of four key proteins: MET, EPHA2, FGFR2, and CD104/ITGB4.
- All intestinal type gastric cancer tumors overexpressed at least one of MET, FGFR2, or EPHA2.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the first quantitative global surface proteome landscape of gastric cancer cells.
- A shortlist of prioritized gastric cancer biomarkers, including MET, EPHA2, FGFR2, and CD104/ITGB4, has been identified.
- These findings offer potential for improved early diagnosis and targeted therapeutic strategies for gastric cancer.
