In-depth proteomics to define the cell surface and secretome of ovarian cancer cells and processes of protein shedding.

Current proteomics technologies allow substantial depth of analysis of cellular and subcellular proteomes as shown in the proteomic profiling of ovarian cancer cells. This in-depth analysis has elucidated the repertoire of proteins expressed on the cell surface and proteins released into the extracellular milieu, uncovering extensive shedding of extracellular domains of cell adhesion proteins and a highly dynamic protein secretion process. The protein sets identified provide a rich resource of potential circulating markers and targets for imaging and therapeutics for ovarian cancer.