Lung Cancer Signatures in Plasma Based on Proteome Profiling of Mouse Tumor Models

SummaryWe investigated the potential of in-depth quantitative proteomics to reveal plasma protein signatures that reflect lung tumor biology. We compared plasma protein profiles of four mouse models of lung cancer with profiles of models of pancreatic, ovarian, colon, prostate, and breast cancer and two models of inflammation. A protein signature for Titf1/Nkx2-1, a known lineage-survival oncogene in lung cancer, was found in plasmas of mouse models of lung adenocarcinoma. An EGFR signature was found in plasma of an EGFR mutant model, and a distinct plasma signature related to neuroendocrine development was uncovered in the small-cell lung cancer model. We demonstrate relevance to human lung cancer of the protein signatures identified on the basis of mouse models.

► Organ-type specific protein signatures found in plasmas of mouse models of cancer ► Plasma protein signatures reflect molecularly distinct subtypes of lung cancer ► Networks of plasma proteins inform about genes that drive tumor development ► Concordant findings in human lung cancer blood samples based on ELISAs