Identifying molecular alterations occurring during cancer progression is essential
for a deeper understanding of the underlying biological processes. Here we have analyzed
cancerous and healthy prostate biopsies using nanoLC-MS(MS) to detect proteins with
altered expression and N-glycosylation. We have identified
75 proteins with significantly changing expression during disease progression. The
biological processes involved were assigned based on protein–protein interaction networks.
These include cellular component organization, metabolic and localization processes.
Multiple glycoproteins were identified with aberrant glycosylation in prostate cancer,
where differences in glycosite-specific sialylation, fucosylation, and galactosylation
were the most substantial. Many of the glycoproteins with altered N-glycosylation
were extracellular matrix constituents, and are heavily involved in the establishment
of the tumor microenvironment.
