Proteomic heterogeneity of nonfunctional pituitary adenomas

Abstract

Nonfunctional pituitary adenoma (NFPA) is highly heterogeneous with different subtypes, which is the pathophysiological basis of its proteome heterogeneity. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-based comparative proteomics and systems biology-based pathway network analyses revealed the variations in proteomes and pathway networks among four NFPA subtypes. A set of differentially expressed proteins and pathway network data were common and specific to each NFPA subtype. Four common pathway systems were determined including MAPK-signaling abnormality, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell-cycle dysregulation. However, those molecular network systems are actually different among four NFPA subtypes including different protein-expression levels of most of nodes, different protein profiles, and different pathway network profiles. Those DEP profiles, DEP functional characteristics, and variations in signaling pathway systems provide the proteomic heterogeneity profile of human NFPAs. It is the useful data for discovery of effective biomarkers and targets to achieve personalized and precision medicine practice for an NFPA.