Secretome cervical cancer LC-MS/MS

The molecular processes and proteomic markers leading to tumour development (TD) in cervical cancer (CC) are either unknown or only partially understood. TD affects metabolic and regulatory mechanisms that can be identified as proteomic changes. To identify which proteins are differentially expressed and to understand the mechanisms underlying cancer progression, we analysed the tumour proteome dynamics of CC cell lines. This analysis revealed two proteins that were up-regulated during TD: GSTM3 and GSTP1. These proteins are involved in cell maintenance, survival and stress responses during TD. We demonstrated that the GSTM3/HPV18 E7 interaction regulates stress adaptation. Furthermore, knockdown of GST proteins showed that they are involved in proliferation and evasion of apoptosis via the NF-kB and MAP kinase pathways during TD. These data indicate the critical role of GST proteins in the regulation and progression of cancer. Hence, we suggest GSTs as novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for CC patients.