Comparative proteomic analysis of the ECM composition of the human omentum and mesentery, the main sites of ovarian cancer metastasis

Due to its limited symptoms, high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has frequently metastasized extensively throughout the peritoneal cavity prior to its diagnosis, resulting in an overall five-year survival rate of less than 50%. The omentum and mesentery are two of the most common metastatic sites in HGSOC. However, the mechanisms underlying HGSOC metastatic tropism remain unknown. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a meshwork of proteins that provides biochemical and mechanical signals to cells and has been shown to drive the dissemination of several cancer types to preferential distant sites. Here, combining histological assessment and proteomics, we defined the architectural features and composition of the ECM of paired omentum and mesentery samples from disease-free adult women. We found that over 90% of the proteins detected were shared between the omentum and mesentery, but also identified tissue-specific ECM proteins, including collagen XII and tenascin-C.