New Detection Method Diagnoses Ovarian Cancer from Blood, Urine and Saliva Samples

Detecting ovarian cancer in its preliminary stages, when it's most effectively treatable, poses a significant challenge. One potential method for identifying this cancer is through the analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs), with a specific focus on small proteins known as exosomes that are discharged from the tumor. These proteins, being extracellular, can be gathered from body fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva. However, the practical application of these biomarkers has been hampered by a scarcity of reliable markers for ovarian cancer detection. Now, researchers have uncovered three previously undiscovered membrane proteins associated with ovarian cancer. Utilizing a novel technology of polyketone-coated nanowires, the research team successfully isolated these proteins, leading to a new detection approach for ovarian cancer detection.

The research, conducted at Nagoya University (Nagoya, Japan) involved extracting both small and medium/large EVs from high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), the most prevalent form of ovarian cancer. The researchers then analyzed them using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Although the initial phase of the research was demanding and the validation of the identified proteins was particularly challenging, the researchers' persistent efforts paid off. After examining various antibodies, they finally identified suitable targets. The findings showed that small and medium/large EVs carry distinctly different molecules, and further study found that the small EVs make better biomarkers than their larger counterparts. The researchers identified FRα, Claudin-3, and TACSTD2 as the membrane proteins present in the small EVs connected to HGSC.

Image: Previously unidentified proteins suggest new way to diagnose ovarian cancer (Photo courtesy of Nagoya University)

Following the successful identification of these proteins, the research team turned their attention to capturing EVs in a manner that would enable cancer detection. To achieve this, they developed polyketone chain-coated nanowires (pNWs), a technology particularly effective for extracting exosomes from blood samples. However, crafting the pNWs was not a straightforward process. The team had to experiment with multiple coatings before settling on polyketones, a completely new material for this application. Eventually, their hard work paid off as the polyketones proved to be a perfect match.

“Our findings showed that each of the three identified proteins is useful as a biomarker for HGSCs,” said Akira Yokoi of the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine who led the research group. “The results of this research suggest that these diagnostic biomarkers can be used as predictive markers for specific therapies. Our results allow doctors to optimize their therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer, therefore, they may be useful for realizing personalized medicine.”

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