Comparative proteomic analysis of oral squamous cell carcinoma and adjacent non-tumour tissue from Thailand.

Objective: The study was aimed at analysing and identifying the proteins that are differentially expressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) compared to adjacent non-tumour tissue.

Materials And Methods: Two-dimensional (2D) sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis accompanied by mass spectrometry (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry) was used to analyse and identify the differentially expressed proteins in 10 pairs of tumours and adjacent non-tumour tissues from five cases of early-stage and five cases of late-stage OSCC. The statistical differences of the protein spots were analysed by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A validation study using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed.

Results: A total of 68 proteins (63 up-regulated, five down-regulated) were differentially expressed in early-stage disease, and 39 proteins (37 up-regulated, two down-regulated) were significantly altered in late-stage disease. Among these, 14 proteins were altered in both groups. A total of 44 proteins were identified, including heat shock proteins (HSPs: Hsp90, HSPA5 and HSPA8), keratins (K1, K6A and K17), tubulin, cofilin 1, 14-3-3σ and metabolic enzymes. These proteins are involved in various cellular processes essential for cell growth, survival and cell migration. The validation study on α-tubulin and 14-3-3σ using immunohistochemistry and KIAA1199 expression using real-time RT-PCR confirmed the results in proteomics analysis.

Conclusions: The study identified many proteins, both known and unknown, for cancer cell processes. At least two proteins, KIAA1199 and Horf6, are novel for oral cancer.