Profiling the Secretome of Glioblastoma Cells Under Histone Deacetylase Inhibition Using Mass Spectrometry

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive brain tumor, and different efforts have been employed in the search for new drugs and therapeutic protocols for GBM. A label-free, mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics has been developed to identify and characterize proteins that are differentially expressed in GBM to gain a better understanding of the interactions and functions that lead to the pathological state focusing on the extracellular matrix (ECM). The main challenge in GBM research has been to identify novel molecular therapeutic targets and accurate diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers. To better investigate the GBM secretome upon in vitro treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitor (iHDAC), we employed a high-throughput label-free methodology of protein identification and quantification based on mass spectrometry followed by in silico studies. Our analysis revealed significant changes in the ECM protein profile, particularly those associated with the angiogenic matrisome. Proteins such as decorin, ADAM10, ADAM12, and ADAM15 were differentially regulated upon in silico analysis. In contrast, key angiogenesis markers such as VEGF and ECM proteins like fibronectin and integrins did not display significant changes. These results suggest that iHDAC inhibitors may modulate or suppress tumor behavior growth by targeting ECM proteins' secretion rather than directly inhibiting angiogenesis. Key features • Analysis of the secretome of U87MG glioblastoma cells. • Studies of mass spectrometry designed to modulate GBM biology and behavior focused on histone deacetylase inhibitors (iHDAC). • Mass spectrometry was developed to identify and characterize proteins that are differentially expressed in GBM.