Respiratory Mucosal Proteome Quantification in Human Influenza Infections

Area of Science:

• Proteomics
• Immunology
• Virology

Background:

• Influenza virus infections pose a significant health risk, with severity influenced by host factors.
• Limited studies have correlated specific cytokines and chemokines with influenza severity.
• Novel proteomic approaches are needed to comprehensively analyze host responses in respiratory infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate SOMAscan, a multiplex micro-proteomics technology, for quantifying proteins in respiratory mucosal samples from influenza patients.
• To identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in nasal washes of influenza A and B infected individuals compared to healthy controls.
• To correlate protein expression levels with viral load and identify novel protein biomarkers associated with influenza infection.

Main Methods:

• Collected nasal wash samples from influenza-infected patients and healthy controls.
• Utilized SOMAscan technology to quantify over 1,000 secreted proteins, including cytokines and chemokines.
• Performed comparative analysis to identify DEPs and correlated protein levels with viral load (≥ 2^8).

Main Results:

• SOMAscan successfully quantified over 1,000 proteins in small volumes of nasal wash samples.
• Identified 162 DEPs between influenza-infected patients and healthy controls, significantly more than previous studies.
• 151 DEPs showed significant correlation with viral load; many were associated with host immune response.
• Discovered novel proteins not previously linked to human respiratory influenza infection.

Conclusions:

• SOMAscan is a valuable tool for micro-proteomic analysis of respiratory mucosal samples.
• The study identified a comprehensive set of DEPs in influenza infection, offering new insights into host-pathogen interactions.
• This work establishes a precedent for using micro-proteomics to study respiratory infections and identify potential biomarkers.