Proteomics in rheumatology: the dawn of a new era

Most rheumatic autoimmune diseases are complex in terms of their genetic origins and underlying pathogenic processes. Non-hypothesis-driven scanning platforms are adding novel insights to our understanding of these multifactorial diseases. This review summarizes the handful of recent proteomic studies that have been executed using samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, or Sjogren's syndrome. The candidate biomarkers that have been uncovered in the reviewed studies have potential applications in diagnosis, prognosis, and theranostics. Though we are at the infancy of the proteomics era in rheumatology, the limited number of molecules uncovered thus far already hold promise. Ongoing research in proteomics holds tremendous potential for shaping how rheumatic diseases are diagnosed, prognosticated, and managed clinically over the coming years.