DIA-MS Based Proteomics Combined with RNA-Seq Data to Unveil the Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Human Glioblastoma

Mitochondrial dysfunctions underlie the pathogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Comprehensive proteomic profiling of mitochondria-specific changes in human GBM is still insufficient. This study carried out a DIA-MS based proteomic analysis on the mitochondria isolated from human primary GBM and peritumoral tissue (as paired control), and further compared those findings with the transcriptomic datasets. A total of 538 mitochondrion-specific proteins were rigorously confirmed, among which 190 differentially expressed proteins were identified. Co-regulations of the mitochondrial dysfunction pathway networks were observed, including significant up-regulations of mitochondrial translation and apoptosis, as well as down-regulations of OXPHOS and mitochondrial dynamics. Proteins related to FA, AA metabolism and ROS also showed significant variations. Most of these alterations were consistent in trend when compared the proteomics findings with the RNA-Seq datasets, while the changes at protein levels appeared to be more dramatic. Potentially key proteins in GBM were identified, including up-regulated pro-apoptotic protein CASP3, BAX, fatty acid oxidation enzymes CPT1A, CPT2, ACADM, serine-glycine enzymes SHMT2, GATM, ROS-related protein SOD2, GPX1, and CAT; and down-regulated dynamin-related protein MFN1, MFN2, OPA1, and OXPHOS components; and also several differentially expressed ALDH isoforms. This study systematically profiled the mitochondrial dysfunctions by combining proteomic findings and mRNA datasets, which would be a valuable resource to the community for further thorough analyses.