Application of Weak Cation Exchange Magnetic Beads Combined MALDI-TOF MS in Detecting Differentially Expressed Proteins in Serum of Prostate Cancer

  Objective  To detect differentially expressed proteins in serum of prostate cancer and to establish a diagnostic model for prostate cancer.

  Methods  Serum samples from 12 patients with prostate cancer and 11 controls hospitalized at our department from March to May 2010 were collected. The weak cation exchange (WCX) beads combined matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique was used to detect the differentially expressed proteins in the serum samples of prostate cancer patients and controls. Differentially expressed proteins for prostate cancer were then screened out. Genetic algorithm was utilized to establish a diagnostic model for prostate cancer with ClinProTools 2.2 software.

  Results  Totally 126 different proteins were screened out, of which 24 were significantly different between the prostate cancer patients and controls (P=0.178). Using the genetic algorithm, 15 differentially expressed proteins were screened out to establish a diagnostic model. The cross-validation of the model was 81.82% and the recognition rate was 100%.

  Conclusions  A diagnostic model of prostate cancer using the WCX magnetic beads combined MALDI-TOF MS technique and genetic algorithm was successfully established. This model has high cross-validation and recognition rate and is helpful to reduce the misdiagnosis rate of prostate cancer.