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Updated: Jun 26, 2025
Biobanking of Human Aqueous and Vitreous Liquid Biopsies for Molecular Analyses
Published on: September 11, 2023
Aqueous humor proteomics analyzed by bioinformatics and machine learning in PDR cases versus controls
Tan Wang1,2, Huan Chen1,2, Ningning Li3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
Background:
To comprehend the complexities of pathophysiological mechanisms and molecular events that contribute to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and evaluate the diagnostic value of aqueous humor (AH) in monitoring the onset of PDR.
Methods:
A cohort containing 16 PDR and 10 cataract patients and another validation cohort containing 8 PDR and 4 cataract patients were studied. AH was collected and subjected to proteomics analyses. Bioinformatics analysis and a machine learning-based pipeline called inference of biomolecular combinations with minimal bias were used to explore the functional relevance, hub proteins, and biomarkers.
Results:
Deep profiling of AH proteomes revealed several insights. First, the combination of SIAE, SEMA7A, GNS, and IGKV3D-15 and the combination of ATP6AP1, SPARCL1, and SERPINA7 could serve as surrogate protein biomarkers for monitoring PDR progression. Second, ALB, FN1, ACTB, SERPINA1, C3, and VTN acted as hub proteins in the profiling of AH proteomes. SERPINA1 was the protein with the highest correlation coefficient not only for BCVA but also for the duration of diabetes. Third, "Complement and coagulation cascades" was an important pathway for PDR development.
Conclusions:
AH proteomics provides stable and accurate biomarkers for early warning and diagnosis of PDR. This study provides a deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms of PDR and a rich resource for optimizing PDR management.
