Mass spectrometry based proteome profiling of the exhaled breath condensate for lung cancer biomarkers search

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Lung cancer remains the most prevalent cause of cancer mortality worldwide mainly due to insufficient availability of early screening methods for wide-scale application. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is currently considered as one of the promising targets for early screening and is particularly attractive due to its absolutely noninvasive collection and possibility for long-term frozen storage. EBC proteome analysis can provide valuable information about the (patho)physiological changes in the respiratory system and may help to identify in time a high risk of lung cancer. Mass spectrometry (MS) profiling of EBC proteome seems to have no alternative in obtaining the most extensive data and characteristic marker panels for screening.

Areas covered

This special report summarizes the data of several proteomic studies of EBC in normal and lung cancer (from 2012 to 2021, PubMed), focuses on the possible reasons for the significant discrepancy in the results, and discusses some aspects for special attention in further studies.

Expert opinion

The significant discrepancy in the results of various studies primarily highlights the need to create standardized protocols for the collection and preparation of EBC for proteomic analysis. The application of quantitative and targeted LC-MS/MS based approaches seems to be the most promising in further EBC proteomic studies.

KEYWORDS:

• Exhaled breath condensate
• lung cancer
• proteomics
• mass spectrometry
• biomarkers

Article highlights

Table

Declaration of interest

The author(s) have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was funded by the Russian Foundation of Basic Research grant 18-29-09158 MK.