Quantitative Site-Specific Glycoproteomics Reveals Glyco-Signatures for Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Anal Chem. 2025 Jan 14;97(1):114-121. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c03069. Epub 2024 Dec 30.

Abstract

Intact glycopeptide characterization by mass spectrometry has proven to be a versatile tool for site-specific glycoproteomics analysis and biomarker screening. Here, we present a method using a new model of a Q-TOF instrument equipped with a Zeno trap for intact glycopeptide identification and demonstrate its ability to analyze large-cohort glycoproteomes. From 124 clinical serum samples of breast cancer, noncancerous diseases, and nondisease controls, a total of 6901 unique site-specific glycans on 807 glycosites of proteins were detected. Much more differences of glycoproteome were observed in breast diseases than the proteome. By employing machine learning, 15 site-specific glycans were determined as potential glyco-signatures in detecting breast cancer. The results demonstrate that our method provides a powerful tool in glycoproteomic studies.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Breast Neoplasms* / blood
  • Breast Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Glycopeptides* / analysis
  • Glycopeptides* / blood
  • Glycoproteins / analysis
  • Glycoproteins / blood
  • Humans
  • Machine Learning
  • Polysaccharides / analysis
  • Polysaccharides / blood
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Proteomics* / methods

Substances

  • Glycopeptides
  • Polysaccharides
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Glycoproteins