Even though colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most preventable cancers, it is one of the deadliest, and recent data show that the incidence in people <50 years has unexpectedly increased. While new techniques for CRC molecular classification are emerging, no molecular feature is as yet firmly associated with prognosis. Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) lipidomic analyses have demonstrated the specificity of the lipid fingerprint in differentiating pathological from healthy tissues. During IMS lipidomic analysis, the formation of ionic adducts is common. Of particular interest is the [Na+]/[K+] adduct ratio, which already functions as a biomarker for homeostatic alterations. Herein, we show a drastic shift of the [Na+]/[K+] adduct ratio in adenomatous colon mucosa compared to healthy mucosa, suggesting a robust increase in K+ levels. Interrogating public databases, a strong association was found between poor diagnosis and voltage-gated potassium channel subunit beta-2 (KCNAB2) overexpression. We found this overexpression in three CRC molecular subtypes defined by the CRC Subtyping Consortium, making KCNAB2 an interesting pharmacological target. Consistently, its pharmacological inhibition resulted in a dramatic halt in commercial CRC cell proliferation. Identification of potential pharmacologic targets using lipid adduct information emphasizes the great potential of IMS lipidomic techniques in the clinical field.
Keywords: colorectal cancer; ion adducts; lipidomics; potassium channels.