Proteomics Profiling of Stool Samples from Preterm Neonates with SWATH/DIA Mass Spectrometry for Predicting...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Neonatal Medicine
• Proteomics

Background:

• Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe gastrointestinal disease affecting premature infants.
• Early prediction of NEC is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes.
• Current diagnostic methods often rely on symptom presentation, limiting early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of fecal biomarkers for predicting NEC development in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants.
• To identify a proteomic signature for early NEC detection using advanced mass spectrometry.

Main Methods:

• Collected daily stool samples from 132 VLBW infants in a multi-center prospective study.
• Analyzed samples from seven NEC-diagnosed infants and seven matched controls using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with SWATH/DIA acquisition.
• Employed label-free quantification and ROC curve analysis to identify predictive protein markers.

Main Results:

• A signature of 36 proteins demonstrated high predictive capacity for NEC.
• This proteomic signature successfully predicted NEC in all seven infants at least one week prior to clinical diagnosis.
• Principal component analysis supported the discriminating power of the identified protein markers.

Conclusions:

• Multiplexed proteomic signature detection in stool is a promising approach for the early detection of NEC in premature infants.
• This method could enable proactive interventions, potentially reducing NEC-related morbidity and mortality.
• Further validation in larger cohorts is warranted to establish clinical utility.