Effects of Cancer Presence and Therapy on the Platelet Proteome

Maudy Walraven, Siamack Sabrkhany, Jaco C. Knol, Henk Dekker, Inge de Reus, Sander R. Piersma, Thang Pham, Arjan W. Griffioen, Henk J. Broxterman, Mirjam Oude Egbrink, Henk M. W. Verheul*, Connie R. Jimenez*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Platelets are involved in tumor angiogenesis and cancer progression. Previous studies indicated that cancer could affect platelet content. In the current study, we investigated whether cancer-associated proteins can be discerned in the platelets of cancer patients, and whether antitumor treatment may affect the platelet proteome. Platelets were isolated from nine patients with different cancer types and ten healthy volunteers. From three patients, platelets were isolated before and after the start of antitumor treatment. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics of gel-fractionated platelet proteins were used to compare patients versus controls and before and after treatment initiation. A total of 4059 proteins were detected, of which 50 were significantly more abundant in patients, and 36 more in healthy volunteers. Eight of these proteins overlapped with our previous cancer platelet proteomics study. From these data, we selected potential biomarkers of cancer including six upregulated proteins (RNF213, CTSG, PGLYRP1, RPL8, S100A8, S100A9) and two downregulated proteins (GPX1, TNS1). Antitumor treatment resulted in increased levels of 432 proteins and decreased levels of 189 proteins. In conclusion, the platelet proteome may be affected in cancer patients and platelets are a potential source of cancer biomarkers. In addition, we found in a small group of patients that anticancer treatment significantly changes the platelet proteome.

Original languageEnglish
Article number8236
Number of pages16
JournalInternational journal of molecular sciences
Volume22
Issue number15
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2021

Keywords

  • platelets
  • biomarkers
  • cancer
  • antitumor therapy
  • proteomics
  • CELL-DEATH
  • PARANEOPLASTIC THROMBOCYTOSIS
  • LABEL-FREE
  • TUMOR
  • BIOMARKER
  • S100A9
  • MECHANISMS
  • STAGE
  • ANGIOGENESIS
  • CALPROTECTIN

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