Differentially expressed proteins in malignant and benign adrenocortical tumors

PLoS One. 2014 Feb 3;9(2):e87951. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087951. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

We have compared the microsomal protein composition of eight malignant and six benign adrenocortical tumors with proteomic methods. IGF2 had increased level in the malignant tumors, confirming previous microarray studies on the same material. Aldolase A, a glycolytic enzyme, also showed increased levels in the malignant tissue compared to the benign. Additionally, several proteins belonging to complex I in the mitochondrial respiration chain showed decreased levels in the malignant tissue. Taken together, this may indicate a shift in energy metabolism where glycolysis may be favored over tight coupling of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. One of the complex I proteins that showed decreased levels in the malignant tissue was GRIM-19. This protein has been suggested as a tumor suppressive protein by being a negative regulator of STAT3. In summary, an analysis of the microsomal proteome in adrenocortical tumors identifies groups of proteins as well as specific proteins differentially expressed in the benign and malignant forms. These proteins shed light on the biology behind malignancy and could delineate future drug targets.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / metabolism*
  • Microsomes / metabolism*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteomics*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor II

Grants and funding

This project was supported with funding from the Swedish research council (2011-3183), the Magnus Bergvall Foundation, the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation (2009.0075), the Karolinska Institutet, the Swedish Rheumatism Association and the King Gustaf V 80-Year Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.