Use of ~(15)N Metabolic Labeling for Biomarker Discovery in the ApcMin Mouse Model for Colorectal Cancer

摘要

Although it may be treated effectively in its early stages, colorectal cancer remains a leading killer for both men and women in the United States. Currently, early detection relies upon uncomfortable and time-consuming physical examination, leading to low patient compliance and straining medical resources. If found, a blood-borne biomarker for colorectal cancer could save many lives through more frequent screening, revealing a greater number of cases during early, treatable stages. We are using 15N metabolic labeling of Apc~(min) mice with tandem mass spectrometry to characterize changes in low molecular weight peptides in serum throughout early stages of tumorigenesis to identify possible markers of emerging disease. Use of metabolic labeling should allow extensive fractionation for improved proteome coverage, while minimizing the effects of sample handling.