Proteomics and breast cancer

C. Mathelin (1) , C. Tomasetto (1) , A. Cromer , M.-C. Rio (1)

1 IGBMC - Institut de génétique et biologie moléculaire et cellulaire

Breast cancer is the first cause of death between 35 and 55 years. Genetic alterations and modifications in gene expression are found during different steps of tumor progression. These changes are translated at the protein level where quantitative and qualitative modifications are found in tumor compared to normal samples. Similarly to studies aimed at deciphering transcriptional changes important in cancer, proteomic approaches allow the global and comparative study of proteins in normal and pathological samples. The objective of this article is to present common proteomic methods and to review the first published results concerning proteomics studies applied to breast cancer with an emphasis on reports obtained using the SELDI-TOF MS (Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry). In breast cancer, it is possible to explore the tumoral proteome and/or the blood derived proteome. The first studies are aimed at globally understanding the disease while the latter are aimed at discovering serum proteins or biomarkers useful for the early detection, diagnosis, prognosis and management of cancer. Promising results are obtained using these emerging methods and these novel biomarkers should be validated in the future and will have an important impact for the management of breast cancer patients.

Domaines: Biologie moléculaire

C. Mathelin, C. Tomasetto, A. Cromer, M.-C. Rio. Proteomics and breast cancer. Gynécologie Obstétrique & Fertilité, 2006, 34 (12), pp.1161-9. ⟨10.1016/j.gyobfe.2006.09.027⟩. ⟨hal-00188037⟩