Detection of Serum Protein Biomarkers by Surface Enhancedlaser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry in Patients of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

ObjectiveTo analyze the characteristic of serum proteins in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and establish serum markers pattern for the diagnosis of NPC. Methods Surface enhanced laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectormetry(SELDI-TOF-MS) technology was applied to analyze serum samples including 102 cases of NPC patients and118 cases of healthy controls.Biomarker Pattern Software (BPS) was used to detect the protein peaks significantly different between NPC patients and healthy controls, then a diagnostic pattern was established.This pattern was further valuated by a blind test.This technology was used to analyze the differential expression of serum proteins mass spectra in patients grouped by clinical classification and EB virus infection. Results Twenty-five significantly different protein peaks were found in serum samples between NPC patients and healthy controls including twelve up-regulated protein peaks and thirteen down-regulated protein peaks.Using BPS, a diagnostic pattern was established.A blind test generated a sensitivity of 97.56％, specificity of 88.89％ and accuracy of 92.63％ respectively.M/Z values of 10286Da,7569Da and 8149Da were significantly different between ascending type and descending type of NPC （P<0.05）；M/Z value of 9354Da and 4596Da were significantly different between EB negative and EB positive respectively（P<0.05）. Conclusion SELDI-TOF-MS technology can identify the significantly different protein peaks and establish a diagnostic pattern with high sensitivity and specificity.It will provide a highly accurate approach for the diagnosis of NPC，and SELDI could be used to discover some characteristic of serum proteins relates to different clinical features.