Proteomics analysis and proteogenomic characterization of different physiopathological human lenses

The aim of the present study was to identify the proteomic differences among human lenses in different physiopathological states and to screen for susceptibility genes/proteins via proteogenomic characterization.

The total proteomes identified across the regenerative lens with secondary cataract (RLSC), congenital cataract (CC) and age-related cataract (ARC) groups were compared to those of normal lenses using isobaric tagging for relative and absolute protein quantification (iTRAQ). The up-regulated proteins between the groups were subjected to biological analysis. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed to detect genetic variations.

The most complete human lens proteome to date, which consisted of 1251 proteins, including 55.2% previously unreported proteins, was identified across the experimental groups. Bioinformatics functional annotation revealed the common involvement of cellular metabolic processes, immune responses and protein folding disturbances among the groups. RLSC-over-expressed proteins were characteristically enriched in the intracellular immunological signal transduction pathways. The CC groups featured biological processes relating to gene expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling transduction, whereas the molecular functions corresponding to external stress were specific to the ARC groups. Combined with WES, the proteogenomic characterization narrowed the list to 16 candidate causal molecules.

These findings revealed common final pathways with diverse upstream regulation of cataractogenesis in different physiopathological states. This proteogenomic characterization shows translational potential for detecting susceptibility genes/proteins in precision medicine.