Exploration of aminopeptidase N as new biomarker for early diagnosis of thyroid cancer

Lanlan Xu; Mo Ma; Jingkang Li; Dianfeng Dai; Dejiang Gao; Pinyi Ma; Qiong Wu; Daqian Song

doi:10.1016/j.bios.2023.115808

Exploration of aminopeptidase N as new biomarker for early diagnosis of thyroid cancer

Biosens Bioelectron. 2024 Jan 15:244:115808. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115808. Epub 2023 Nov 2.

Authors

Lanlan Xu¹, Mo Ma², Jingkang Li¹, Dianfeng Dai¹, Dejiang Gao¹, Pinyi Ma³, Qiong Wu⁴, Daqian Song⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry, Jilin Province Research Center for Engineering and Technology of Spectral Analytical Instruments, Jilin University, Qianjin Street 2699, Changchun, 130012, China.
² College of Chemistry, Jilin Province Research Center for Engineering and Technology of Spectral Analytical Instruments, Jilin University, Qianjin Street 2699, Changchun, 130012, China; School of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Qianjin Street 2699, Changchun, 130012, China.
³ College of Chemistry, Jilin Province Research Center for Engineering and Technology of Spectral Analytical Instruments, Jilin University, Qianjin Street 2699, Changchun, 130012, China. Electronic address: mapinyi@jlu.edu.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, Nanomedicine and Translational Research Center, The Third Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Sendai Street 126, Changchun, 130033, China. Electronic address: qiong_wu@jlu.edu.cn.
⁵ College of Chemistry, Jilin Province Research Center for Engineering and Technology of Spectral Analytical Instruments, Jilin University, Qianjin Street 2699, Changchun, 130012, China. Electronic address: songdq@jlu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37925942
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115808

Abstract

False-positive diagnosis and overdiagnosis are ongoing issues in clinical diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Identifying new disease markers is crucial for early diagnosis and improved treatment. Aminopeptidase N (APN) is a promising biomarker for cancer diagnosis due to its critical roles in tumor invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and other processes. However, its potential as biomarker for thyroid cancer diagnosis needs further investigation. This study developed an ultra-sensitive near-infrared fluorescence probe, LAN-apn, to investigate the expression level of APN in thyroid cancer and evaluate its potential as biomarker of thyroid cancer. LAN-apn could accurately and sensitively determine APN through fluorescence method (DL = 0.069 ng/mL) and colorimetric method (DL = 4.5 ng/mL). In addition, LAN-apn allowed for successful fluorescence imaging of APN in thyroid cancer cells and thyroid cancer tumors both in vivo and in vitro, and confirmed that APN was significantly upregulated in thyroid cancer. Therefore, APN may become a new biomarker for thyroid cancer diagnosis, and LAN-apn could be used as a new imaging tool for the study of APN-thyroid cancer relationship and the early diagnosis of thyroid cancer.

Keywords: Aminopeptidase N; Fluorescence probe; Imaging in cells; Imaging in vivo; Thyroid cancer.

MeSH terms

Biosensing Techniques*
CD13 Antigens / metabolism
Early Detection of Cancer
Humans
Thyroid Neoplasms* / diagnosis

Substances

CD13 Antigens