Serum proteome profiling reveals SOX3 as a candidate prognostic marker for gastric cancer

Abstract

Searching for the novel tumour biomarkers is pressing for gastric cancer diagnostication and prognostication. The serum specimens from patients diagnosed with locally advanced gastric carcinoma before operation and 4 week after surgery were collected, respectively, and serum proteome profiling was conducted by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (MS)/MS. Fifty‐five proteins were identified to be up‐regulated and 16 proteins were down‐regulated, and these differentially expressed proteins participated in various biological processes. Serum levels of SOX3, one of down‐regulated proteins, in stomach cancer patients were higher than in healthy controls. SOX3 levels in cancer tissues were remarkably related to tumour differentiation, lymph node metastasis, primary tumour invasion and pTNM (pathological TNM) stage. Analysis with The Cancer Genome Atlas database indicated that SOX3 level and pTNM stage were the independent risk factors for the patient survival and that the overall survival was negatively associated with the SOX3 levels. Loss‐of‐function showed that SOX3 promoted gastric cancer cell invasion and migration in vitro and in vivo. SOX3 silence inhibits the expression of MMP9, and SOX3 is responsible for MMP9 expression transcriptionally. Our study highlights the potentiality of the paired pre‐ and post‐operation serum proteome signatures for the detection of biomarkers and reveals that SOX3 may serve as a candidate prognosis marker for gastric cancer.

Expression and significance of SOX B1 genes in glioblastoma multiforme patients

“…And, overexpressed SOX3 indicated better overall survival in GBM patients (Logrank p = 0.0432, HR high = 0.825), suggesting that SOX3 is an antioncogene. In contrast, previous studies have shown that overexpression of SOX3 is associated with poor overall survival in gastric cancer, 42 breast cancer 43 and adult de novo acute myeloid leukaemia. 44 Lu S et al 45 indicated that overexpression of SOX3 predicts a poor outcome in GBM patients; and, Sa JK et al 46 found SOX3 is associated with tumour invasiveness, malignancy and poor prognosis in GBM patients.…”

Carcinogenesis and Prognostic Utility of Arginine Methylation-Related Genes in Hepatocellular Cancer

“…SOX3's role in inducing epithelialmesenchymal transformation has been well-established [30]. Increased migration secondary to SOX3 downregulation in gastric cancer has been shown, with the opposite shown in osteosarcoma in which downregulation of SOX3 decreased the snail/twist axis [31,32]. On the other hand, little has been studied regarding the possible oncogenic properties of ZNF784.…”

Proteomics technologies for cancer liquid biopsies

“…Furthermore, a 5-protein signature had accurate predictive power to discern early and late-stage CRC [ 21 ]. In a longitudinal study, paired serum samples from 6 advanced gastric cancer patients were used pre- and post-operation for LC-MS/MS profiling, and SOX3 was identified as a potential prognostic marker [ 22 ]. Besides, urine-based proteomics is another avenue to explore due to its much higher target plexity and is particularly suited for urological cancers.…”