The tumour-derived extracellular vesicle proteome varies by endometrial
cancer histology and is confounded by an obesogenic environment
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is the most prevalent gynaecological cancer globally.
Its association with obesity and metabolic diseases is a key aetiology,
increasingly among younger females. Early diagnosis and improved
treatment decisions are crucial for these women whose outcomes could be
improved by discovering new biomarkers. We took a new approach to
extracellular vesicle (EV) biomarker discovery - profiling the proteome
of enriched EVs isolated directly from frozen biobanked endometrial
cancers. Nine tissue pools, each generating collagenase-digested tissue
and matched small EVs, were analysed using label-free proteomics. Three
clinical subgroups: Endometrioid low BMI (body mass index), Endometrioid
high BMI, and Serous, irrespective of BMI, were compared to identify
shared secreted proteins, proteins associated with histological subtype,
and proteins related to BMI. EVs were enriched for common EV markers and
large secreted proteins. Cell lysates were enriched in mitochondrial and
blood proteins. EV protein profiles were most different between the high
BMI subgroup and the others, highlighting a significant influence of
comorbidities on the intra-tumoural EV secretome. Proteins
differentially abundant between subgroups in tissues were strikingly not
also differential in the matched EVs. This work has identified secreted
proteins implicated in the complex pathophysiology of endometrial cancer
and pinpointed candidate biomarkers for diagnosis.