The human secretome

The proteins secreted by human cells (collectively referred to as the secretome) are important not only for the basic understanding of human biology but also for the identification of potential targets for future diagnostics and therapies. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of proteins predicted to be secreted in human cells, which provides information about their final localization in the human body, including the proteins actively secreted to peripheral blood. The analysis suggests that a large number of the proteins of the secretome are not secreted out of the cell, but instead are retained intracellularly, whereas another large group of proteins were identified that are predicted to be retained locally at the tissue of expression and not secreted into the blood. Proteins detected in the human blood by mass spectrometry-based proteomics and antibody-based immuno-assays are also presented with estimates of their concentrations in the blood. The results are presented in an updated version 19 of the Human Protein Atlas in which each gene encoding a secretome protein is annotated to provide an open-access knowledge resource of the human secretome, including body-wide expression data, spatial localization data down to the single-cell and subcellular levels, and data about the presence of proteins that are detectable in the blood

Elevated Levels of SOX10 in Serum from Vitiligo and Melanoma Patients, Analyzed by Proximity Ligation Assay

Background The diagnosis of malignant melanoma currently relies on clinical inspection of the skin surface and on the histopathological status of the excised tumor. The serum marker S100B is used for prognostic estimates at later stages of the disease, but analyses are marred by false positives and inadequate sensitivity in predicting relapsing disorder. Objectives To investigate SOX10 as a potential biomarker for melanoma and vitiligo. Methods In this study we have applied proximity ligation assay (PLA) to detect the transcription factor SOX10 as a possible serum marker for melanoma. We studied a cohort of 110 melanoma patients. We further investigated a second cohort of 85 patients with vitiligo, which is a disease that also affects melanocytes. Results The specificity of the SOX10 assay in serum was high, with only 1% of healthy blood donors being positive. In contrast, elevated serum SOX10 was found with high frequency among vitiligo and melanoma patients. In patients with metastases, lack of SOX10 detection was associated with treatment benefit. In two responding patients, a change from SOX10 positivity to undetectable levels was seen before the response was evident clinically. Conclusions We show for the first time that SOX10 represents a promising new serum melanoma marker for detection of early stage disease, complementing the established S100B marker. Our findings imply that SOX10 can be used to monitor responses to treatment and to assess if the treatment is of benefit at stages earlier than what is possible radiologically

Enhanced Validation of Antibodies Enables the Discovery of Missing Proteins

The localization of proteins at a tissue- or cell-type-specific level is tightly linked to the protein function. To better understand each protein's role in cellular systems, spatial information constitutes an important complement to quantitative data. The standard methods for determining the spatial distribution of proteins in single cells of complex tissue samples make use of antibodies. For a stringent analysis of the human proteome, we used orthogonal methods and independent antibodies to validate 5981 antibodies that show the expression of 3775 human proteins across all major human tissues. This enhanced validation uncovered 56 proteins corresponding to the group of "missing proteins" and 171 proteins of unknown function. The presented strategy will facilitate further discussions around criteria for evidence of protein existence based on immunohistochemistry and serves as a useful guide to identify candidate proteins for integrative studies with quantitative proteomics methods

SOX10 reactivity over time in nine patients during treatment follow up.

<p>DERMA and METRIC study treatment regimens are described under Methods.</p

Measurement of SOX10 via solid-phase PLA in sera from vitiligo patients (n = 85) and from controls (healthy blood donors) (n = 40).

<p>Mean Ct (y-axis) values of duplicate samples are shown. For statistical analyses 1-tail two sample heteroscedastic t-test was applied. *** P<0.001. Line indicates cut-off for samples calculated as positive.</p

Measurement of SOX10 via solid-phase PLA in sera from MM patients.

<p>Ct values in sera of 110 patients (in total 148 MM samples) (left) and 45 control sera samples (blood donors) (right). For statistical analyses 1-tail two sample heteroscedastic t-test was applied. * P< 0.05. Line indicates cut-off for samples calculated as positive.</p

Stages when 21 MM patients were found to be SOX10 positive.

<p>Stages when 21 MM patients were found to be SOX10 positive.</p

PLA-SOX10 vs. Cobas-s100 in 72 MM patients.

<p>PLA-SOX10 vs. Cobas-s100 in 72 MM patients.</p

A novel bimodal lipidic contrast agent for cellular labelling and tumour MRI

We have synthesized a bimodal lipidic molecule bearing both fluorophore and contrast agent signatures on the same structure in order to create a robust bimodal liposome for both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorescence microscopy utility. The dual-modality concept considered in the synthesis of this new paramagnetic and fluorescent lipid is valuable in that anatomical information (MRI) as well as very sensitive localization (ex vivo fluorescence microscopy) of signal, and therefore liposome biodistribution, is obtainable. Bimodal cationic and neutral PEGylated liposomes were formulated using this novel lipid probe and used to label cells in vitro and image human ovarian xenografts in vivo. Tumour signal enhancement was increased by over 6-fold post-administration of the neutral PEGylated liposomes, and was maintained at this level up to the 24 h end-point. Our results showed this lipid to be more effective and sensitive than the single signature paramagnetic lipid Gd·DOTA·DSA at cellular labelling and tumour MRI