Serum differential proteomics analysis between papillary thyroid cancer patients with 131I-avid and those with non-131I-avid lung metastases.

ABSTRACT

Our aim was to compare the differences in serum protein fingerprints between papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with (131)I-avid lung metastases and those with non-(131)I-avid lung metastases, and to establish a screening model for screening (131)I uptake in lung metastases. We collected serum samples from 46 PTC patients with (131)I-avid lung metastases (Group A) and 23 PTC patients with non-(131)I-avid lung metastases (Group B) respectively, and both groups were matched for age and sex, without history of other tumors. Among them, 28 cases (19 cases in Group A, and 9 cases in Group B) were enrolled in the training set to establish the decision tree model, and another 41 cases (27 cases in Group A, and 14 cases in Group B)were incorporated for blind test set. The serum protein fingerprints were profiled using surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS, USA) and the difference between the two groups was compared using the Ciphergen Proteinchip 3.1 software. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to construct the decision tree model based on the data of the training set, and the blind test was also conducted for blind test set. Our results showed that a total of 151 valid protein peaks were detected at the molecular range of 1300 Da to 15,000 Da, among which 7 were significantly different between Group A and Group B (P< 0.05). The blind test was conducted via the decision tree model, with a sensitivity of 92.6% (25/27) and a specificity of 85.7% (12/14). In conclusion, the difference in the serum protein fingerprints between Group A and Group B is quite accurate for screenning (131)I uptake in the lung metastases from PTC, conferring important clinical value for the prediction of (131)I uptake and guiding of personalized (131)I treatment decisions.