Abstract
Background: Pancreatic cysts are being increasingly identified in patients. Mucinous cysts have malignant potential whereas non-mucinous cysts do not. Distinguishing potentially malignant cysts from harmless ones by the characterization of cyst fluid contents remains a difficult problem. This study was undertaken to determine whether cyst fluid mucin glycoprotein analysis could differentiate mucinous from non-mucinous pancreatic cysts. Methods: Cyst fluid from 28 patients who underwent resection of a pancreatic cyst was used for the study. In each case the type of cyst was histologically identified. One dimensional SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1D-SDS PAGE) was performed on cyst fluid samples. For the detection of the separated proteins, we employed a novel dual staining technique. The gel was first stained with periodic acid Schiff (PAS), a mucin histochemical stain followed by a secondary protein staining with Simply Blue Safestain (Invitrogen). Results: Visual scoring (based on the presence of mucins) gave a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 88% for prediction of mucinous histology. Conclusions: One dimensional SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of pancreatic cyst fluid, followed by mucin (PAS) and protein (Simply Blue Safestain) staining, provides a means of concentrating and visualizing mucins, which allows the accurate differentiation of mucinous from non-mucinous histology in pancreatic cysts.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 42 |
Journal | Clinical Proteomics |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1 2014 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This research was funded in part by grants from Essentia Health/Duluth Clinic and Whiteside Institute for Clinical Research.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Streitz et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Keywords
- 1-D-PAGE
- Biomarkers
- Mucins
- Pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatic cyst fluid