Background: Gastric tumor (GT) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, with surgery among the most effective treatment methods. Accurate interoperative determination of the tumor margin is crucial.
Methods: In this study, using internal extractive electrospray ionization-MS, mass spectral data of GT and gastric normal (GN) tissues from 36 patients were collected.
Results: In positive ion detection mode, the relative abundances of m/z 132, 147, 170, and 175 were increased, while the relative abundances of m/z 55, 83, 154, and 203 were decreased in GT tissue. Using partial least squares analysis, the mass spectral data of GT and GN tissues were discriminated, and differential ions (P ≤0.01), including m/z 55, 83, 154, 170, and 203, were obtained from loading plots. After receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, peaks at m/z 83 and 203 showed high accuracy for distinguishing GT from GN tissue. These two peaks were then preliminarily attributed to 5-aminoimidazole and serylproline, respectively, which might be useful molecular biomarkers associated with GT development.
Conclusion: Further investigations of the functions of 5-aminoimidazole and serylproline might provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in GT.
Keywords: gastric tumor, biomarkers, mass spectrometry, MS, tumor margin