Affiliations: Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Human
Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Samir Hanash, Department of
Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Room A520, MSRB I, 1150 W. Medical Center
Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0656, USA. Tel.: +1 734 763 9311; Fax: +1 734 647
8148; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The identification of autoantibodies to tumor cell proteins by
proteomics approaches has great potential impact on cancer biomarker discovery.
The humoral immune response represents a form of biological amplification of
signals that are otherwise weak due to very low concentrations of antigen,
especially in the early stages of cancers. In addition, proteomics can detect
immunoreactivity directed against protein post-translational modifications.
Two-dimensional gel based Western blots, protein antigen microarrays, and
multiplex ELISA reactions have been applied by our group to antigen based
biomarker detection and validation. The latter two are based on liquid-phase
separations that are suitable for automation. This work has resulted in the
identification of numerous cancer biomarker candidates. Large clinical studies
are currently planned to establish their value in early cancer diagnosis.
Keywords: proteomics, autoantibodies, 2D Western blot, protein microarray, ELISA
