Teneurin-4 as a potential prognosis biomarker in gastric adenocarcinoma: a proteomics analysis in endoscopic tissue biopsies

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer remains a global health problem, which still needs a better understanding of its biology. Its incidence and prognosis rates in different geographic regions, as well as its pathogenesis, clinical presentation, genetic expressions and the presence of distinct mutations had an impact on the heterogeneous behaviors of patients. METHODS: Endoscopies with standard histological examination of biopsies and experimental analysis with tissue samples. Subjects were grouped according to their histopathologic grade of differentiations and submitted to a proteomic analysis. RESULTS: A total number of 1,103 proteins were identified among the control group and the three histological grades of gastric cancer specimens. ANOVA multiple sample test found a set of 356 proteins differentially expressed in at least one of the groups. Among the top 10 upregulated genes, teneurin-4 was found in all histological stages, which were related to histopathological grade of differentiation. CONCLUSION: Teneurin-4 levels were upregulated in all grades of tumor differentiation, suggesting that teneurin-4 could be a candidate biomarker of gastric adenocarcinoma.