MALDI-IHC-Guided In-Depth Spatial Proteomics: Targeted and Untargeted MSI Combined

Anal Chem. 2023 Jan 31;95(4):2329-2338. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c04220. Epub 2023 Jan 13.

Abstract

Recently, a novel technology was published, utilizing the strengths of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), achieving highly multiplexed, targeted imaging of biomolecules in tissue. This new technique, called MALDI-IHC, opened up workflows to target molecules of interest using MALDI-MSI that are usually targeted by standard IHC. In this paper, the utility of targeted MALDI-IHC and its complementarity with untargeted on-tissue bottom-up spatial proteomics is explored using breast cancer tissue. Furthermore, the MALDI-2 effect was investigated and demonstrated to improve MALDI-IHC. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human breast cancer tissue sections were stained for multiplex MALDI-IHC with six photocleavable mass-tagged (PC-MT) antibodies constituting a breast cancer antibody panel (CD20, actin-αSM, HER2, CD68, vimentin, and panCK). K-means spatial clusters were created based on the MALDI-IHC images and cut out using laser-capture microdissection (LMD) for further untargeted LC-MS-based bottom-up proteomics analyses. Numerous peptides could be tentatively assigned to multiple proteins, of which three proteins were also part of the antibody panel (vimentin, keratins, and actin). Post-ionization with MALDI-2 showed an increased intensity of the PC-MTs and suggests options for the development of new mass-tags. Although the on-tissue digestion covered a wider range of proteins, the MALDI-IHC allowed for easy and straightforward identification of proteins that were not detected in untargeted approaches. The combination of the multiplexed MALDI-IHC with image-guided proteomics showed great potential to further investigate diseases by providing complementary information from the same tissue section and without the need for customized instrumentation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actins
  • Breast Neoplasms*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Molecular Imaging
  • Proteomics* / methods
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods
  • Vimentin

Substances

  • Vimentin
  • Actins