Distribution analysis of the putative cancer marker S100A4 across invasive squamous cell carcinoma penile tissue

• Used MALDI imaging to view the distribution of proteins in malignant penile tissue.
• Found heterogeneous and tissue-specific distribution of a number of molecular species.
• Verified that S100A4 is differentially expressed in malignant epithelial cells.
• Obtained significant correlation between S100A4 positive cells and grade of tumour.

MS-based proteomic methods were utilised for the first time in the discovery of novel penile cancer biomarkers. MALDI MS imaging was used to obtain the in situ biomolecular MS profile of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis which was then compared to benign epithelial MS profiles. Spectra from cancerous and benign tissue areas were examined to identify MS peaks that best distinguished normal epithelial cells from invasive squamous epithelial cells, providing crucial evidence to suggest S100A4 to be differentially expressed. Verification by immunohistochemistry resulted in positive staining for S100A4 in a sub-population of invasive but not benign epithelial cells.

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