biostudies-literatureDong WGuangxi Distinguished Experts Special FundNatural Science Foundation of Guangxi ProvinceConstruction Fund of Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Basic Research in Sphingolipid Metabolism Related DiseasesMedical High Level Talents Training Plan in GuangxiScience and Technology Planned Project in GuilinSpecial Fund of the Central Government Guiding Local Scientific and Technological Development by Guangxi Science and Technology DepartmentConstruction Fund of Key Disciplines of Medical and Health in Guangxi387https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9724420biostudies-literatureUnknown20(1)<h4>Purpose</h4>Liver cancer is one of the most common tumors with the seventh-highest incidence and the third-highest mortality. Many studies have shown that small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) play an important role in liver cancer. Here, we report comprehensive signatures for sEV proteins from plasma obtained from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which might be valuable for the evaluation and diagnosis of HCC.<h4>Methods</h4>We extracted sEVs from the plasma of controls and patients with HCC. Differentially expressed proteins in the sEVs were analyzed using label-free quantification and bioinformatic analyses. Western blotting (WB) was used to validate the abovementioned sEV proteins.<h4>Results</h4>Proteomic analysis was performed for plasma sEVs from 21 patients with HCC and 15 controls. Among the 335 identified proteins in our study, 27 were significantly dysregulated, including 13 upregulated proteins that were involved predominantly in the complement cascade (complement C1Q subcomponent subunit B (C1QB), complement C1Q subcomponent subunit C (C1QC), C4B-binding protein alpha chain (C4BPA), and C4B-binding protein beta chain (C4BPB)) and the coagulation cascade (F13B, fibrinogen alpha chain (FGA), fibrinogen beta chain (FGB), and fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG)). We verified increased levels of the C1QB, C1QC, C4BPA, and C4BPB proteins in the plasma sEVs from patients with HCC in both the discovery cohort and validation cohort.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The complement cascade in sEVs was significantly involved in HCC progression. C1QB, C1QC, C4BPA, and C4BPB were highly abundant in the plasma sEVs from patients with HCC and might represent molecular signatures.World journal of surgical oncologyProteomic analysis of small extracellular vesicles from the plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.PMC97244202019B12G202002005ZY211950242020GXNSFDA2380062021-8-4-3ZJC202000520210102-1Qiu ZDong WYang ZXia ZZhang TWang XChai ZWang JJin JZhang QfalseProteomic analysis of small extracellular vesicles from the plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.<h4>Purpose</h4>Liver cancer is one of the most common tumors with the seventh-highest incidence and the third-highest mortality. Many studies have shown that small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) play an important role in liver cancer. Here, we report comprehensive signatures for sEV proteins from plasma obtained from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which might be valuable for the evaluation and diagnosis of HCC.<h4>Methods</h4>We extracted sEVs from the plasma of controls and patients with HCC. Differentially expressed proteins in the sEVs were analyzed using label-free quantification and bioinformatic analyses. Western blotting (WB) was used to validate the abovementioned sEV proteins.<h4>Results</h4>Proteomic analysis was performed for plasma sEVs from 21 patients with HCC and 15 controls. Among the 335 identified proteins in our study, 27 were significantly dysregulated, including 13 upregulated proteins that were involved predominantly in the complement cascade (complement C1Q subcomponent subunit B (C1QB), complement C1Q subcomponent subunit C (C1QC), C4B-binding protein alpha chain (C4BPA), and C4B-binding protein beta chain (C4BPB)) and the coagulation cascade (F13B, fibrinogen alpha chain (FGA), fibrinogen beta chain (FGB), and fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG)). We verified increased levels of the C1QB, C1QC, C4BPA, and C4BPB proteins in the plasma sEVs from patients with HCC in both the discovery cohort and validation cohort.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The complement cascade in sEVs was significantly involved in HCC progression. C1QB, C1QC, C4BPA, and C4BPB were highly abundant in the plasma sEVs from patients with HCC and might represent molecular signatures.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Dec2025-04-19T18:54:01.645Z2025-04-19T18:54:01.645ZS-EPMC97244203647139310.1186/s12957-022-02849-y