Proteomics for the Identification of Biomarkers in Testicular Cancer–Review

Abstract

A large number of biomarkers have been proposed for the diagnosis of testicular cancer, representing putative molecular targets for anticancer treatments. However, no conclusive data have been provided. Proteomics represents a research field recently developed. It evaluates the large-scale analysis of the full protein components of a single cell, of a specific tissue, or of biological fluids. In the last decades, proteomics has been applied in clinical fields, thanks to modern technology and new bioinformatic tools, to identify novel molecular markers of diseases. The aim of this review is to argue the findings of recent studies in the discoveries of putative prognostic and diagnostic markers of testis cancer by proteomic techniques. We present here a panel of proteins identified by proteomics which might be used after validation for early detection and the prognostic evaluation of testicular tumors. In addition, the molecular mechanisms revealed by these proteomic studies might also guide the development of novel treatments in future.

Proteomic Analyses of Human Sperm Cells: Understanding the Role of Proteins and Molecular Pathways Affecting Male Reproductive Health

“…With the advent of omics, a few proteomic studies have been conducted using testicular tissue samples to identify potential markers for early diagnosis and monitoring of TC [99][100][101]. Recently, Milardi et al reported that tumor markers AFP, hCG, and LDH can be used in the clinical management of testicular germ cell tumors [102].…”

Liquid Biopsies in the Clinical Management of Germ Cell Tumor Patients: State-of-the-Art and Future Directions

“…Moreover, studies in proteomics, especially taking advantage of technologies such as mass spectrometry, may bring further novelty to the field [ 169 ]. In fact, most proteomic-based studies in this area have focused on tissues instead of liquid biopsies and have disclosed putative biomarkers up- or down-regulated in specific histological subtypes, such as GSTM3, GCP6, CDK10, STARD7, DMTR1, PIWIL1, TMPRSS12 and PAK4, most being implicated in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and metabolism [ 170 , 171 , 172 , 173 ].…”

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“…Essas biomoléculas possuem três vertentes de aplicações, sendo indicadas como biomarcadores preditivos, oferecendo informações sobre os riscos de um indivíduo contrair uma doença; biomarcadores de diagnóstico, quando é capaz de identificar a ocorrência de uma doença, e; biomarcadores de prognóstico, quando indica a forma como uma doença pode evoluir (Mayeux, 2004). Na pesquisa clínica, é recorrente o uso de biomarcadores, sobretudo na reumatologia, câncer, Alzheimer, doenças genéticas em geral e doenças infecciosas como leishmaniose e doença de chagas (Milardi et al, 2019).…”