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Isolation and Characterization of Microvesicles from Peripheral Blood
Published on: January 6, 2017
Identification and characterization of proteins isolated from microvesicles derived from human lung cancer pleural
Jung Ok Park1, Do-Young Choi, Dong-Sic Choi
1Department of Molecular Biotechnology, WCU Program, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Microvesicles (MVs, also known as exosomes, ectosomes, microparticles) are released by various cancer cells, including lung, colorectal, and prostate carcinoma cells. MVs released from tumor cells and other sources accumulate in the circulation and in pleural effusion. Although recent studies have shown that MVs play multiple roles in tumor progression, the potential pathological roles of MV in pleural effusion, and their protein composition, are still unknown. In this study, we report the first global proteomic analysis of highly purified MVs derived from human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pleural effusion. Using nano-LC-MS/MS following 1D SDS-PAGE separation, we identified a total of 912 MV proteins with high confidence. Three independent experiments on three patients showed that MV proteins from PE were distinct from MV obtained from other malignancies. Bioinformatics analyses of the MS data identified pathologically relevant proteins and potential diagnostic makers for NSCLC, including lung-enriched surface antigens and proteins related to epidermal growth factor receptor signaling. These findings provide new insight into the diverse functions of MVs in cancer progression and will aid in the development of novel diagnostic tools for NSCLC.
Insights
This study reveals unique protein profiles in microvesicles (MVs) from non-small cell lung cancer pleural effusions. These findings offer potential new diagnostic markers for lung cancer detection.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Proteomics
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Microvesicles (MVs) are released by cancer cells and accumulate in bodily fluids like pleural effusion.
- While MVs are implicated in tumor progression, their specific roles and protein content in lung cancer pleural effusions remain largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform the first global proteomic analysis of highly purified MVs from human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) pleural effusion.
- To identify distinct protein compositions and potential diagnostic biomarkers for NSCLC within these MVs.
Main Methods:
- Highly purified MVs were isolated from NSCLC pleural effusion.
- Proteomic analysis was conducted using nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS) after 1D SDS-PAGE separation.
Main Results:
- A total of 912 MV proteins were identified with high confidence.
- Proteins from NSCLC pleural effusion MVs were found to be distinct from MVs of other malignancies.
- Bioinformatics analysis highlighted pathologically relevant proteins, including lung-specific antigens and EGFR signaling pathway components.
Conclusions:
- This proteomic dataset provides novel insights into the function of MVs in NSCLC progression.
- The identified proteins represent potential diagnostic markers for non-small cell lung cancer.

