Differential expression of proteins in response to ceramide-mediated stress signal in colon cancer cells by 2-D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-MS.

Comparative cancer cell proteome analysis is a strategy to study the implication of ceramides in the transmission of stress signals. To better understand the mechanisms by which ceramide regulate some physiological or pathological events and the response to the pharmacological treatment of cancer, we performed a differential analysis of the proteome of HCT-116 (human colon carcinoma) cells in response to these substances. We first established the first 2-dimensional map of the HCT-116 proteome. Then, HCT116 cell proteome treated or not with C6-ceramide have been compared using two-dimensional electrophoresis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry and bioinformatic (genomic databases). 2-DE gel analysis revealed more than fourty proteins that were differentially expressed in control cells and cells treated with ceramide. Among them, we confirmed the differential expression of proteins involved in apoptosis and cell adhesion.