FBXL12 degrades FANCD2 to regulate replication recovery and promote cancer cell survival under conditions of replication stress.

Fanconi anemia (FA) signaling, a key genomic maintenance pathway, is activated in response to replication stress. Here, we report that phosphorylation of the pivotal pathway protein FANCD2 by CHK1 triggers its FBXL12-dependent proteasomal degradation, facilitating FANCD2 clearance at stalled replication forks. This promotes efficient DNA replication under conditions of CYCLIN E- and drug-induced replication stress. Reconstituting FANCD2-deficient fibroblasts with phosphodegron mutants failed to re-establish fork progression. In the absence of FBXL12, FANCD2 becomes trapped on chromatin, leading to replication stress and excessive DNA damage. In human cancers, FBXL12, CYCLIN E, and FA signaling are positively correlated, and FBXL12 upregulation is linked to reduced survival in patients with high CYCLIN E-expressing breast tumors. Finally, depletion of FBXL12 exacerbated oncogene-induced replication stress and sensitized cancer cells to drug-induced replication stress by WEE1 inhibition. Collectively, our results indicate that FBXL12 constitutes a vulnerability and a potential therapeutic target in CYCLIN E-overexpressing cancers.

Immediate Adaptation Analysis Implicates BCL6 as an EGFR-TKI Combination Therapy Target in NSCLC.

Drug resistance is a major obstacle to curative cancer therapies, and increased understanding of the molecular events contributing to resistance would enable better prediction of therapy response, as well as contribute to new targets for combination therapy. Here we have analyzed the early molecular response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition using RNA sequencing data covering 13,486 genes and mass spectrometry data covering 10,138 proteins. This analysis revealed a massive response to EGFR inhibition already within the first 24 h, including significant regulation of hundreds of genes known to control downstream signaling, such as transcription factors, kinases, phosphatases and ubiquitin E3-ligases. Importantly, this response included upregulation of key genes in multiple oncogenic signaling pathways that promote proliferation and survival, such as ERBB3, FGFR2, JAK3, and BCL6, indicating an early adaptive response to EGFR inhibition. Using a library of more than 500 approved and experimental compounds in a combination therapy screen, we could show that several kinase inhibitors with targets including JAK3 and FGFR2 increased the response to EGFR inhibitors. Further, we investigated the functional impact of BCL6 upregulation in response to EGFR inhibition using siRNA-based silencing of BCL6. Proteomics profiling revealed that BCL6 inhibited transcription of multiple target genes including p53, resulting in reduced apoptosis which implicates BCL6 upregulation as a new EGFR inhibitor treatment escape mechanism. Finally, we demonstrate that combined treatment targeting both EGFR and BCL6 act synergistically in killing lung cancer cells. In conclusion, or data indicates that multiple different adaptive mechanisms may act in concert to blunt the cellular impact of EGFR inhibition, and we suggest BCL6 as a potential target for EGFR inhibitor-based combination therapy.

DEqMS: A Method for Accurate Variance Estimation in Differential Protein Expression Analysis.

Quantitative proteomics by mass spectrometry is widely used in biomarker research and basic biology research for investigation of phenotype level cellular events. Despite the wide application, the methodology for statistical analysis of differentially expressed proteins has not been unified. Various methods such as t test, linear model and mixed effect models are used to define changes in proteomics experiments. However, none of these methods consider the specific structure of MS-data. Choices between methods, often originally developed for other types of data, are based on compromises between features such as statistical power, general applicability and user friendliness. Furthermore, whether to include proteins identified with one peptide in statistical analysis of differential protein expression varies between studies. Here we present DEqMS, a robust statistical method developed specifically for differential protein expression analysis in mass spectrometry data. In all data sets investigated there is a clear dependence of variance on the number of PSMs or peptides used for protein quantification. DEqMS takes this feature into account when assessing differential protein expression. This allows for a more accurate data-dependent estimation of protein variance and inclusion of single peptide identifications without increasing false discoveries. The method was tested in several data sets including E. coli proteome spike-in data, using both label-free and TMT-labeled quantification. Compared with previous statistical methods used in quantitative proteomics, DEqMS showed consistently better accuracy in detecting altered protein levels compared with other statistical methods in both label-free and labeled quantitative proteomics data. DEqMS is available as an R package in Bioconductor.

The Proteome of the Dentate Terminal Zone of the Perforant Path Indicates Presynaptic Impairment in Alzheimer Disease.

Synaptic dysfunction is an early pathogenic event in Alzheimer disease (AD) that contributes to network disturbances and cognitive decline. Some synapses are more vulnerable than others, including the synapses of the perforant path, which provides the main excitatory input to the hippocampus. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the dysfunction of these synapses, we performed an explorative proteomic study of the dentate terminal zone of the perforant path. The outer two-thirds of the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, where the perforant path synapses are located, was microdissected from five subjects with AD and five controls. The microdissected tissues were dissolved and digested by trypsin. Peptides from each sample were labeled with different isobaric tags, pooled together and pre-fractionated into 72 fractions by high-resolution isoelectric focusing. Each fraction was then analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We quantified the relative expression levels of 7322 proteins, whereof 724 showed significantly altered levels in AD. Our comprehensive data analysis using enrichment and pathway analyses strongly indicated that presynaptic signaling, such as exocytosis and synaptic vesicle cycle processes, is severely disturbed in this area in AD, whereas postsynaptic proteins remained unchanged. Among the significantly altered proteins, we selected three of the most downregulated synaptic proteins; complexin-1, complexin-2 and synaptogyrin-1, for further validation, using a new cohort consisting of six AD and eight control cases. Semi-quantitative analysis of immunohistochemical staining confirmed decreased levels of complexin-1, complexin-2 and synaptogyrin-1 in the outer two-thirds of the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus in AD. Our in-depth proteomic analysis provides extensive knowledge on the potential molecular mechanism underlying synaptic dysfunction related to AD and supports that presynaptic alterations are more important than postsynaptic changes in early stages of the disease. The specific synaptic proteins identified could potentially be targeted to halt synaptic dysfunction in AD.

The transcriptome-wide landscape of molecular subtype-specific mRNA expression profiles in acute myeloid leukemia.

Molecular classification of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) aids prognostic stratification and clinical management. Our aim in this study is to identify transcriptome-wide mRNAs that are specific to each of the molecular subtypes of AML. We analyzed RNA-sequencing data of 955 AML samples from three cohorts, including the BeatAML project, the Cancer Genome Atlas, and a cohort of Swedish patients to provide a comprehensive transcriptome-wide view of subtype-specific mRNA expression. We identified 729 subtype-specific mRNAs, discovered in the BeatAML project and validated in the other two cohorts. Using unique proteomics data, we also validated the presence of subtype-specific mRNAs at the protein level, yielding a rich collection of potential protein-based biomarkers for the AML community. To enable the exploration of subtype-specific mRNA expression by the broader scientific community, we provide an interactive resource to the public.

HiRIEF LC-MS enables deep proteome coverage and unbiased proteogenomics.

We present a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based method permitting unbiased (gene prediction-independent) genome-wide discovery of protein-coding loci in higher eukaryotes. Using high-resolution isoelectric focusing (HiRIEF) at the peptide level in the 3.7-5.0 pH range and accurate peptide isoelectric point (pI) prediction, we probed the six-reading-frame translation of the human and mouse genomes and identified 98 and 52 previously undiscovered protein-coding loci, respectively. The method also enabled deep proteome coverage, identifying 13,078 human and 10,637 mouse proteins.

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP/ACP5) promotes metastasis-related properties via TGFß2/TßR and CD44 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP/ACP5), a metalloenzyme that is characteristic for its expression in activated osteoclasts and in macrophages, has recently gained considerable focus as a driver of metastasis and was associated with clinically relevant parameters of cancer progression and cancer aggressiveness. METHODS: MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with different TRAP expression levels (overexpression and knockdown) were generated and characterized for protein expression and activity levels. Functional cell experiments, such as proliferation, migration and invasion assays were performed as well as global phosphoproteomic and proteomic analysis was conducted to connect molecular perturbations to the phenotypic changes. RESULTS: We identified an association between metastasis-related properties of TRAP-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and a TRAP-dependent regulation of Transforming growth factor (TGFß) pathway proteins and Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44). Overexpression of TRAP increased anchorage-independent and anchorage-dependent cell growth and proliferation, induced a more elongated cellular morphology and promoted cell migration and invasion. Migration was increased in the presence of the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins osteopontin and fibronectin and the basement membrane proteins collagen IV and laminin I. TRAP-induced properties were reverted upon shRNA-mediated knockdown of TRAP or treatment with the small molecule TRAP inhibitor 5-PNA. Global phosphoproteomics and proteomics analyses identified possible substrates of TRAP phosphatase activity or signaling intermediates and outlined a TRAP-dependent regulation of proteins involved in cell adhesion and ECM organization. Upregulation of TGFß isoform 2 (TGFß2), TGFß receptor type 1 (TßR1) and Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2 (SMAD2), as well as increased intracellular phosphorylation of CD44 were identified upon TRAP perturbation. Functional antibody-mediated blocking and chemical inhibition demonstrated that TRAP-dependent migration and proliferation is regulated via TGFß2/TßR, whereas proliferation beyond basal levels is regulated through CD44. CONCLUSION: Altogether, TRAP promotes metastasis-related cell properties in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells via TGFß2/TßR and CD44, thereby identifying a potential signaling mechanism associated to TRAP action in breast cancer cells.

SpliceVista, a tool for splice variant identification and visualization in shotgun proteomics data.

Alternative splicing is a pervasive process in eukaryotic organisms. More than 90% of human genes have alternatively spliced products, and aberrant splicing has been shown to be associated with many diseases. Current methods employed in the detection of splice variants include prediction by clustering of expressed sequence tags, exon microarray, and mRNA sequencing, all methods focusing on RNA-level information. There is a lack of tools for analyzing splice variants at the protein level. Here, we present SpliceVista, a tool for splice variant identification and visualization based on mass spectrometry proteomics data. SpliceVista retrieves gene structure and translated sequences from alternative splicing databases and maps MS-identified peptides to splice variants. The visualization module plots the exon composition of each splice variant and aligns identified peptides with transcript positions. If quantitative mass spectrometry data are used, SpliceVista plots the quantitative patterns for each peptide and provides users with the option to cluster peptides based on their quantitative patterns. SpliceVista can identify splice-variant-specific peptides, providing the possibility for variant-specific analysis. The tool was tested on two experimental datasets (PXD000065 and PXD000134). In A431 cells treated with gefitinib, 2983 splice-variant-specific peptides corresponding to 939 splice variants were identified. Through comparison of splice-variant-centric, protein-centric, and gene-centric quantification, several genes (e.g. EIF4H) were found to have differentially regulated splice variants after gefitinib treatment. The same discrepancy between protein-centric and splice-centric quantification was detected in the other dataset, in which induced pluripotent stem cells were compared with parental fibroblast and human embryotic stem cells. In addition, SpliceVista can be used to visualize novel splice variants inferred from peptide-level evidence. In summary, SpliceVista enables visualization, detection, and differential quantification of protein splice variants that are often missed in current proteomics pipelines.

Proteo-metabolomics and patient tumor slice experiments point to amino acid centrality for rewired mitochondria in fibrolamellar carcinoma.

Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare, lethal, early-onset liver cancer with a critical need for new therapeutics. The primary driver in FLC is the fusion oncoprotein, DNAJ-PKAc, which remains challenging to target therapeutically. It is critical, therefore, to expand understanding of the FLC molecular landscape to identify druggable pathways/targets. Here, we perform the most comprehensive integrative proteo-metabolomic analysis of FLC. We also conduct nutrient manipulation, respirometry analyses, as well as key loss-of-function assays in FLC tumor tissue slices from patients. We propose a model of cellular energetics in FLC pointing to proline anabolism being mediated by ornithine aminotransferase hyperactivity and ornithine transcarbamylase hypoactivity with serine and glutamine catabolism fueling the process. We highlight FLC's potential dependency on voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), a mitochondrial gatekeeper for anions including pyruvate. The metabolic rewiring in FLC that we propose in our model, with an emphasis on mitochondria, can be exploited for therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Delineating functional and molecular impact of ex vivo sample handling in precision medicine.

Consistent handling of samples is crucial for achieving reproducible molecular and functional testing results in translational research. Here, we used 229 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient samples to assess the impact of sample handling on high-throughput functional drug testing, mass spectrometry-based proteomics, and flow cytometry. Our data revealed novel and previously described changes in cell phenotype and drug response dependent on sample biobanking. Specifically, myeloid cells with a CD117 (c-KIT) positive phenotype decreased after biobanking, potentially distorting cell population representations and affecting drugs targeting these cells. Additionally, highly granular AML cell numbers decreased after freezing. Secondly, protein expression levels, as well as sensitivity to drugs targeting cell proliferation, metabolism, tyrosine kinases (e.g., JAK, KIT, FLT3), and BH3 mimetics were notably affected by biobanking. Moreover, drug response profiles of paired fresh and frozen samples showed that freezing samples can lead to systematic errors in drug sensitivity scores. While a high correlation between fresh and frozen for the entire drug library was observed, freezing cells had a considerable impact at an individual level, which could influence outcomes in translational studies. Our study highlights conditions where standardization is needed to improve reproducibility, and where validation of data generated from biobanked cohorts may be particularly important.

The non-canonical BAF chromatin remodeling complex is a novel target of spliceosome dysregulation in SF3B1-mutated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

SF3B1 mutations are recurrent in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), particularly enriched in clinically aggressive stereotyped subset #2. To investigate their impact, we conducted RNA-sequencing of 18 SF3B1MUT and 17 SF3B1WT subset #2 cases and identified 80 significant alternative splicing events (ASEs). Notable ASEs concerned exon inclusion in the non-canonical BAF (ncBAF) chromatin remodeling complex subunit, BRD9, and splice variants in eight additional ncBAF complex interactors. Long-read RNA-sequencing confirmed the presence of splice variants, and extended analysis of 139 CLL cases corroborated their association with SF3B1 mutations. Overexpression of SF3B1K700E induced exon inclusion in BRD9, resulting in a novel splice isoform with an alternative C-terminus. Protein interactome analysis of the BRD9 splice isoform revealed augmented ncBAF complex interaction, while exhibiting decreased binding of auxiliary proteins, including SPEN, BRCA2, and CHD9. Additionally, integrative multi-omics analysis identified a ncBAF complex-bound gene quartet on chromosome 1 with higher expression levels and more accessible chromatin in SF3B1MUT CLL. Finally, Cancer Dependency Map analysis and BRD9 inhibition displayed BRD9 dependency and sensitivity in cell lines and primary CLL cells. In conclusion, spliceosome dysregulation caused by SF3B1 mutations leads to multiple ASEs and an altered ncBAF complex interactome, highlighting a novel pathobiological mechanism in SF3B1MUT CLL.

Prediction model for drug response of acute myeloid leukemia patients.

Despite some encouraging successes, predicting the therapy response of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients remains highly challenging due to tumor heterogeneity. Here we aim to develop and validate MDREAM, a robust ensemble-based prediction model for drug response in AML based on an integration of omics data, including mutations and gene expression, and large-scale drug testing. Briefly, MDREAM is first trained in the BeatAML cohort (n = 278), and then validated in the BeatAML (n = 183) and two external cohorts, including a Swedish AML cohort (n = 45) and a relapsed/refractory acute leukemia cohort (n = 12). The final prediction is based on 122 ensemble models, each corresponding to a drug. A confidence score metric is used to convey the uncertainty of predictions; among predictions with a confidence score >0.75, the validated proportion of good responders is 77%. The Spearman correlations between the predicted and the observed drug response are 0.68 (95% CI: [0.64, 0.68]) in the BeatAML validation set, -0.49 (95% CI: [-0.53, -0.44]) in the Swedish cohort and 0.59 (95% CI: [0.51, 0.67]) in the relapsed/refractory cohort. A web-based implementation of MDREAM is publicly available at https://www.meb.ki.se/shiny/truvu/MDREAM/ .

SubCellBarCode: integrated workflow for robust spatial proteomics by mass spectrometry.

The molecular functions of a protein are defined by its inherent properties in relation to its environment and interaction network. Within a cell, this environment and network are defined by the subcellular location of the protein. Consequently, it is crucial to know the localization of a protein to fully understand its functions. Recently, we have developed a mass spectrometry- (MS) and bioinformatics-based pipeline to generate a proteome-wide resource for protein subcellular localization across multiple human cancer cell lines ( www.subcellbarcode.org ). Here, we present a detailed wet-lab protocol spanning from subcellular fractionation to MS-sample preparation and analysis. A key feature of this protocol is that it includes all generated cell fractions without discarding any material during the fractionation process. We also describe the subsequent quantitative MS-data analysis, machine learning-based classification, differential localization analysis and visualization of the output. For broad applicability, we evaluated the pipeline by using MS data generated by two different peptide pre-fractionation approaches, namely high-resolution isoelectric focusing and high-pH reverse-phase fractionation, as well as direct analysis without pre-fractionation by using long-gradient liquid chromatography-MS. Moreover, an R package covering the dry-lab part of the method was developed and made available through Bioconductor. The method is straightforward and robust, and the entire protocol, from cell harvest to classification output, can be performed within 1-2 weeks. The protocol enables accurate classification of proteins to 15 compartments and 4 neighborhoods, visualization of the output data and differential localization analysis including treatment-induced protein relocalization, condition-dependent localization or cell type-specific localization. The SubCellBarCode package is freely available at https://bioconductor.org/packages/devel/bioc/html/SubCellBarCode.html .

Molecular evaluation of five different isolation methods for extracellular vesicles reveals different clinical applicability and subcellular origin.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly tested as therapeutic vehicles and biomarkers, but still EV subtypes are not fully characterised. To isolate EVs with few co-isolated entities, a combination of methods is needed. However, this is time-consuming and requires large sample volumes, often not feasible in most clinical studies or in studies where small sample volumes are available. Therefore, we compared EVs rendered by five commonly used methods based on different principles from conditioned cell medium and 250 µl or 3 ml plasma, that is, precipitation (ExoQuick ULTRA), membrane affinity (exoEasy Maxi Kit), size-exclusion chromatography (qEVoriginal), iodixanol gradient (OptiPrep), and phosphatidylserine affinity (MagCapture). EVs were characterised by electron microscopy, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, Bioanalyzer, flow cytometry, and LC-MS/MS. The different methods yielded samples of different morphology, particle size, and proteomic profile. For the conditioned medium, Izon 35 isolated the highest number of EV proteins followed by exoEasy, which also isolated fewer non-EV proteins. For the plasma samples, exoEasy isolated a high number of EV proteins and few non-EV proteins, while Izon 70 isolated the most EV proteins. We conclude that no method is perfect for all studies, rather, different methods are suited depending on sample type and interest in EV subtype, in addition to sample volume and budget.

Proteogenomics of non-small cell lung cancer reveals molecular subtypes associated with specific therapeutic targets and immune evasion mechanisms.

Despite major advancements in lung cancer treatment, long-term survival is still rare, and a deeper understanding of molecular phenotypes would allow the identification of specific cancer dependencies and immune evasion mechanisms. Here we performed in-depth mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteogenomic analysis of 141 tumors representing all major histologies of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We identified six distinct proteome subtypes with striking differences in immune cell composition and subtype-specific expression of immune checkpoints. Unexpectedly, high neoantigen burden was linked to global hypomethylation and complex neoantigens mapped to genomic regions, such as endogenous retroviral elements and introns, in immune-cold subtypes. Further, we linked immune evasion with LAG3 via STK11 mutation-dependent HNF1A activation and FGL1 expression. Finally, we develop a data-independent acquisition MS-based NSCLC subtype classification method, validate it in an independent cohort of 208 NSCLC cases and demonstrate its clinical utility by analyzing an additional cohort of 84 late-stage NSCLC biopsy samples.

Tumor expression of S100A6 correlates with survival of patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: In a previously published in vitro study based on top-down proteomics we found that the calcium-binding proteins S100A6 and S100A4 were affected by exposure to ionizing radiation in a p53-dependent fashion. Both proteins showed post-translational modification changes, and S100A6 also showed increased expression and translocation in response to irradiation. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of S100A6 and S100A4 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: S100A6 expression on archival tumor cell lysates from 39 patients with radically resected NSCLC was assessed with SELDI-TOF-MS. S100A6 identity was confirmed using a SELDI-based antibody-capture method on lysates from the A549 lung cancer cell line, cell lysates from two freshly prepared NSCLC samples, four plasma samples and one pleural effusion sample. Immunostainings for S100A6, S100A4 and p53 were performed on tissue microarrays containing 103 stage I surgically resected NSCLC cases and 14 normal lung parenchyma specimens. RESULTS: The presence of post-translationally modified S100A6 forms was confirmed with SELDI-MS on enriched tumor cell lysates, as well as in plasma and pleural effusion samples. In addition, high S100A6 peak intensity was associated with longer median survival (35 months vs. 18 months for high and low peak intensity, respectively; p=n.s.). The immunohistochemical analysis showed that 25% of tumors were S100A6 positive. S100A6 expression correlated directly with non-squamous histology (p<0.0001) and S100A4 expression (p=0.005), and inversely with p53 expression (p=0.01). S100A6-positive cases showed a trend of longer survival compared with S100A6-negative cases (p=0.07). This difference became significant when the analysis was restricted to p53-negative cases (n=72). In this subgroup of patients, whose tumors likely exhibit a functional p53, S100A6 was an independent prognostic factor of improved survival at multivariate analysis (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.27-0.81, p=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: In this study we have validated on clinical material our previous findings on cell lines in terms of S100A6 expression and post-translational modifications pattern in NSCLC. Moreover, the survival results obtained in p53-negative stage I NSCLC cases support the proposed pro-apoptotic function of S100A6 and suggest the hypothesis of a cross regulation between these two proteins.

A comparison between protein profiles of B cell subpopulations and mantle cell lymphoma cells.

BACKGROUND: B-cell lymphomas are thought to reflect different stages of B-cell maturation. Based on cytogenetics and molecular markers, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is presumed to derive predominantly from naïve, pre-germinal centre (pre-GC) B lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to develop a method to investigate the similarity between MCL cells and different B-cell compartments on a protein expression level. METHODS: Subpopulations of B cells representing the germinal centre (GC), the pre-GC mantle zone and the post-GC marginal zone were isolated from tonsils using automated magnetic cell sorting (AutoMACS) of cells based on their expression of CD27 and IgD. Protein profiling of the B cell subsets, of cell lines representing different lymphomas and of primary MCL samples was performed using top-down proteomics profiling by surface-enhanced laser detection/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). RESULTS: Quantitative MS data of significant protein peaks (p-value < 0.05) separating the three B-cell subpopulations were generated. Together, hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the primary MCL samples clustered together with the pre- and post-GC subpopulations. Both primary MCL cells and MCL cell lines were clearly separated from the B cells representing the GC compartment. CONCLUSION: AutoMACS sorting generates sufficient purity to enable a comparison between protein profiles of B cell subpopulations and malignant B lymphocytes applying SELDI-TOF-MS. Further validation with an increased number of patient samples and identification of differentially expressed proteins would enable a search for possible treatment targets that are expressed during the early development of MCL.

Proteomics identifies neddylation as a potential therapy target in small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors.

Patients with small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) frequently develop spread disease; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of disease progression are not known and effective preventive treatment strategies are lacking. Here, protein expression profiling was performed by HiRIEF-LC-MS in 14 primary SI-NETs from patients with and without liver metastases detected at the time of surgery and initial treatment. Among differentially expressed proteins, overexpression of the ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8 was identified in samples from patients with liver metastasis. Further, NEDD8 correlation analysis indicated co-expression with RBX1, a key component in cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRLs). In vitro inhibition of neddylation with the therapeutic agent pevonedistat (MLN4924) resulted in a dramatic decrease of proliferation in SI-NET cell lines. Subsequent mass spectrometry-based proteomics analysis of pevonedistat effects and effects of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib revealed stabilization of multiple targets of CRLs including p27, an established tumor suppressor in SI-NET. Silencing of NEDD8 and RBX1 using siRNA resulted in a stabilization of p27, suggesting that the cellular levels of NEDD8 and RBX1 affect CRL activity. Inhibition of CRL activity, by either NEDD8/RBX1 silencing or pevonedistat treatment of cells resulted in induction of apoptosis that could be partially rescued by siRNA-based silencing of p27. Differential expression of both p27 and NEDD8 was confirmed in a second cohort of SI-NET using immunohistochemistry. Collectively, these findings suggest a role for CRLs and the ubiquitin proteasome system in suppression of p27 in SI-NET, and inhibition of neddylation as a putative therapeutic strategy in SI-NET.

Breast cancer quantitative proteome and proteogenomic landscape.

In the preceding decades, molecular characterization has revolutionized breast cancer (BC) research and therapeutic approaches. Presented herein, an unbiased analysis of breast tumor proteomes, inclusive of 9995 proteins quantified across all tumors, for the first time recapitulates BC subtypes. Additionally, poor-prognosis basal-like and luminal B tumors are further subdivided by immune component infiltration, suggesting the current classification is incomplete. Proteome-based networks distinguish functional protein modules for breast tumor groups, with co-expression of EGFR and MET marking ductal carcinoma in situ regions of normal-like tumors and lending to a more accurate classification of this poorly defined subtype. Genes included within prognostic mRNA panels have significantly higher than average mRNA-protein correlations, and gene copy number alterations are dampened at the protein-level; underscoring the value of proteome quantification for prognostication and phenotypic classification. Furthermore, protein products mapping to non-coding genomic regions are identified; highlighting a potential new class of tumor-specific immunotherapeutic targets.

Quantitative membrane proteomics applying narrow range peptide isoelectric focusing for studies of small cell lung cancer resistance mechanisms.

Drug resistance is often associated with upregulation of membrane-associated drug-efflux systems, and thus global membrane proteomics methods are valuable tools in the search for novel components of drug resistance phenotypes. Herein we have compared the microsomal proteome from the lung cancer cell line H69 and its isogenic Doxorubicin-resistant subcell line H69AR. The method used includes microsome preparation, iTRAQ labeling followed by narrow range peptide IEF in an immobilized pH-gradient (IPG-IEF) and LC-MS/MS analysis. We demonstrate that the microsomal preparation and iTRAQ labeling is reproducible regarding protein content and composition. The rationale using narrow range peptide IPG-IEF separation is demonstrated by its ability to: (i) lowering the complexity of the sample by two-thirds while keeping high proteome coverage (96%), (ii) providing high separation efficiency, and (iii) allowing for peptide validation and possibly identifications of post-transcriptional modifications. After analyzing one-fifth of the IEF fractions (effective pH range of 4.0-4.5), a total of 3704 proteins were identified, among which 527 were predicted to be membrane proteins. One of the proteins found to be differentially expressed was Serca 2, a calcium pump located in the ER membrane that potentially could result in changes of apoptotic response toward Doxorubicin.