Home » Abstracts » Imaging Proteomics » A spatial proteomics workflow for multimodal characterization of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer xenografts

A spatial proteomics workflow for multimodal characterization of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer xenografts

Imaging Proteomics

Abstract #333 Posted on1 April 20259 May 2025 9 May 2025 20h15

Author(s)

Klára Brožová (Presenting Author) | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Silvester Bartsch | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Rebecca Herzog | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Anja Wagner | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Markus Unterwurzacher | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Brigitte Hantusch | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Thomas Helbich | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Katja Pinker-Domenig | Columbia University | 622 West 168th Street, 10032, New York, United States
Lukas Kenner | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
Klaus Kratochwill | Medical University of Vienna | Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is a global health challenge, and understanding its proteomic heterogeneity remains essential for improved diagnosis and therapy.
We established an integrated workflow that combines untargeted MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), targeted imaging mass cytometry (IMC), and bulk tissue TMT-LC-MS/MS to explore the proteomic complexity of BC xenografts (MCF-7, SKBR-3, MDA-MB-231) in BALB/c-nude mice. Tumors were embedded in paraffin or snap-frozen in gelatin, ensuring optimal preservation of tissue architecture. MALDI-IMS provided label-free spatial proteomic profiles, generating segmentation maps and U-MAP plots that distinguished tumor, stroma, and necrotic regions. Unsupervised analyses effectively differentiated molecular BC subtypes and highlighted inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity, revealing distinct luminal, HER2+, and triple-negative peptide signatures.
Complementary bulk TMT-LC-MS/MS unambiguously identified ~17,000 human or mouse proteins, improving peptide annotation and validation of IMS signals. The single-cell resolution of IMC enables precise localization of key markers within the primarily human tumor and murine microenvironment. A 24-marker IMC panel, selected based on literature review and TMT-LC-MS/MS data, revealed spatially resolved subtype- and species-specific expression of proliferation, apoptosis, and immune response markers. Integrating IMS, IMC, and bulk proteomics yielded a comprehensive overview of BC tumor biology, exposing previously unrecognized proteomic diversity within histologically similar regions. Correlations with histological features confirmed that proteomic signatures align with tumor pathophysiology, highlighting the benefits of combining MALDI-IMS with IMC to identify therapeutic targets and guide personalized BC approaches.
Findings will be correlated with in vivo PET/MRI radiomics data, potentially facilitating non-invasive diagnostics for earlier detection and improved patient stratification.

Abstract N°

Review committee

Sélectionnez le(s) utilisateur(s) chargé(s) de la revue de cet abstract.

Communication type

Speaker abstract
Oral presentation
Flash communication
Poster

Communication status

Accepted
Rejected

Final abstract N°

Note globale

Abstract content *

Max 2000 characters. Line breaks are supported.

Author(s) informations *

1	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
2	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
3	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
4	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
5	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
6	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
7	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
8	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
9	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
10	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *
1	First name * Last name * email * Presenting author * At least and only one presenting author must be selected per abstract Presenting author Do you want this email to appear in the book of abstracts? If you refuse, only the administrators and the review commitee will have access to this email as part of the review process. YesNo Laboratory * Address * ZIP code * City * Country *

Add another author

Are you an ECR? *

<7 years after last degree

Are you a Junior PI? *

If you have started your own group less than 3 years ago and are not chosen by the scientific committee for a talk, you will have the opportunity to give a keynote during an ECR parallel session

Are you an invited speaker? *

Consent *

By submitting this form I agree
- that the administrators use my personal information for the abstract revision process.
- that my name, affiliation and abstract content may be publicly displayed.

Captcha