Lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in urine exosomes may serve as a potential biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis

BACKGROUND: The migration of lymphocytes shares many similarities in mode and mechanism with the metastasis of lung cancer tumor cells. But changes in the expression of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in urine exosomes remain unclear. This study is to investigate the expression changes of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in urine exosomes of lung cancer patients, and further verify their correlation with the development and progression of lung cancer. METHODS: Urine exosomes were collected from lung cancer patients and healthy people aged 15–79 years. Mass spectrometry was used to screen and explore the expression changes of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in healthy people of different ages. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting were used to detect the expression changes of lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins in lung cancer patients. RESULTS: Analyzing the data of urine exosome proteomics, a total of 12 lymphocyte related proteins were identified, 5 of which were lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins. Among these proteins, WASL and STK10 proteins showed a gradual decrease in expression with age, and WNK1 protein showed a gradual increase. Lung cancer patients had reduced expression of WASL and increased expression of STK10 and WNK1 proteins in urine exosomes compared to normal people. Urine exosome WASL, STK10, and WNK1 were diagnosed with lung cancer, with a combined AUC of 0.760. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphocyte migration regulation related proteins were differentially expressed in the urine exosome of lung cancer patients, and WASL, STK10 and WNK1 may serve as potential biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-023-11567-x.