Direct analysis of laser capture microdissected endometrial carcinoma and epithelium by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Direct analysis of laser capture microdissected malignant and normal endometrial epithelium using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) was able to detect a number of proteins that are overexpressed in malignant epithelial cells. A total of 16 physiologic and malignant endometrial samples were laser capture microdissected, including four proliferative and four secretory endometria, and eight endometrioid adenocarcinomas. Two of these proteins, at 10,834 and 10,843 Da, likely correspond to calgranulin A and chaperonin 10, two proteins that had previously been identified in endometrioid adenocarcinoma in whole tissue homogenate by MS analysis. Direct analysis by MALDI-MS not only confirms that these proteins are overexpressed in endometrial carcinoma, but also localizes them to the epithelial cells, the expected cancer site.