Serum proteomic profiling of rheumatoid arthritis-interstitial lung disease with a comparison to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Thorax. 2022 Oct;77(10):1041-1044. doi: 10.1136/thorax-2021-217822. Epub 2022 Jul 30.

Abstract

Although interstitial lung disease (ILD) causes significant morbidity and mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it is difficult to predict the development or progression of ILD, emphasising the need for improved discovery through minimally invasive diagnostic tests. Aptamer-based proteomic profiling was used to assess 1321 proteins from 159 patients with rheumatoid arthritis with interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), RA without ILD, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and healthy controls. Differential expression and gene set enrichment analyses revealed molecular signatures that are strongly associated with the presence and severity of RA-ILD and provided insight into unexplored pathways of disease. These warrant further study as non-invasive diagnostic tools and future therapeutic targets.

Keywords: Interstitial Fibrosis; Rheumatoid lung disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / complications
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / genetics
  • Humans
  • Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis* / complications
  • Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis* / genetics
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial* / complications
  • Proteomics