Title:Serum HSP90-Alpha and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Biomarker
Volume: 28
Issue: 10
Author(s): Muhammad Usman, Amber Ilyas, Basir Syed, Zehra Hashim, Aftab Ahmed and Shamshad Zarina*
Affiliation:
- Dr. Zafar H. Zaidi Center for Proteomics, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270,Pakistan
Keywords:
Serum biomarkers, OSCC, HSP90alpha, KRT1, haptoglobin, proteomics.
Abstract:
Aim: This study aims to perform differential protein expression analysis of serum samples
from Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) patients and healthy controls in search of potential
diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker(s).
Objective: OSCC is usually diagnosed late, which results in poor survival and high mortality. Identification
of non-invasive prognostic biomarkers is of utmost importance for early diagnosis and
proper management of the disease; hence we used a proteomic approach to identify potential biomarkers
from serum.
Methods: Serum samples (OSCC n=45 and control n=30) were depleted, and proteins were separated
using 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by identification by mass spectrometric analysis. Gene
expression analysis of identified proteins in malignant and normal tissue was also performed to
complement proteomics studies.
Results: Among differentially expressed proteins, up-regulation of heat shock protein alpha (HSP90α)
from the serum of oral cancer patients was observed. We also observed elevated levels of
Haptoglobin (HP) along with downregulation of Type II keratin cytoskeletal 1(KRT1) and serum
albumin (ALB) in oral cancer patients. Gene expression studies on identified proteins in malignant
and normal tissue revealed a similar pattern with the exception of KRT1. We believe that elevated
levels of serum HSP90 alpha might be used as a potential biomarker.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest a contribution of HSP90 alpha and other identified proteins in
oral pathology as pro/anti-apoptotic modulators, thus considering their potential as predictive biomarkers.