Onco-proteogenomics identifies urinary S100A9 and GRN as potential combinatorial biomarkers for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the major type of liver cancer, is among the most lethal cancers owing to its aggressive nature and frequently late detection. Therefore, the possibility to identify early diagnostic markers could be of significant benefit. Urine has especially become one of the most attractive body fluids in biomarker discovery as it can be obtained non-invasively in large quantities and is stable as compared with other body fluids. To identify potential protein biomarker for early diagnosis of HCC, we explored protein expression profiles in urine from HCC patients and normal controls (n=44) by shotgun proteomics using nano-liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC–MS/MS) and stable isotope dimethyl labeling. We have systematically mapped 91 proteins with differential expressions (p<0.05), which included 8 down-regulated microtubule proteins and 83 up-regulated proteins involved in signal and inflammation response. Further integrated proteogenomic approach composed of proteomic, genomic and transcriptomic analysis identified that S100A9 and GRN were co-amplified (p<0.001) and co-expressed (p