Signal pathway profiling of ovarian cancer from human tissue specimens using reverse-phase protein microarrays

摘要: Defects in cell signaling pathways play a central role cancer growth, survival, invasion and metastasis. An important goal of proteomics is to characterize develop "circuit maps" these normal diseased cells. We have used reverse-phase protein array technology coupled with laser capture microdissection phospho-specific antibodies examine the activation status several key molecular "gates" involved survival proliferation human ovarian tumor tissue. The levels activated extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) varied considerably tumors same histotype, but no significant differences between histotypes were observed. Advanced stage had slightly higher phosphorylated ERK1/2 compared early tumors. Akt glycogen synthase 3beta, proteins indicators state phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pro-survival pathway also showed more variation within each histotype than studied. Our results demonstrate utility reverse phase microarrays for multiplexed analysis signal transduction from discreet populations cells procured directly specimens suggest that patterns may be patient-specific rather type or specific.