Altered protein expression at early-stage rat hepatic neoplasia

Qilie Luo, Linda Siconolfi-Baez, Pallavi Annamaneni, Mark T. Bielawski, Phyllis M. Novikoff, Ruth Hogue Angeletti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Protein expression patterns were analyzed in a rat model of hepatic neoplasia to detect changes reflecting biological mechanism or potential therapeutic targets. The rat resistant hepatocyte model of carcinogenesis was studied, with a focus on the earliest preneoplastic lesion visible in the liver, the preneoplastic hyperplastic nodule. Expression differences were shown by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and image analysis. Polypeptide masses were measured by peptide mass finger-printing using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and their sequences were obtained by tandem mass spectrometry. Alterations in expression of cytoskeletal and functional proteins were demonstrated, consistent with biological changes known to occur in the preneoplastic cells. Of particular interest was the differential expression of a serine protease inhibitor (serpin) with a role implicated in angiogenesis. Serpin, implicated in the inhibition of angiogenesis, is present in normal liver but has greatly reduced expression at the preneoplastic stage of liver cancer development. Immunofluorescence microscopy with antibodies to this serpin, kallistatin, supports the proteomic identification. Immunofluorescence microscopy with antibodies to the blood vessel marker von Willebrand factor provides evidence for neovascularization in the liver containing multiple preneoplastic nodules. These observations suggest that at an early stage of liver carcinogenesis reduction or loss of angiogenesis inhibitors may contribute to initiation of neoangiogenesis. A number of other identified proteins known to be associated with hepatomas are also present at early-stage neoplasia.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)G1272-G1282
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology
Volume292
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2007

Keywords

  • Angiogenesis
  • Differentially expressed proteins
  • Hepatoma
  • Liver
  • Preneoplastic nodules

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Hepatology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Physiology (medical)

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