Brain Proteomic Responses to Glucocorticoids and Their Relationship With Transcriptome: A Systematic Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurobiology
• Molecular Biology
• Proteomics

Background:

• Glucocorticoid effects on the brain are extensively studied at the proteomic level.
• However, integrated analyses comparing proteomic and transcriptomic responses are lacking.
• Existing proteomic data is hindered by inconsistent nomenclature and identifiers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify consistent protein expression changes in response to glucocorticoids across mouse, rat, and human datasets.
• To compare these proteomic findings with transcriptomic responses.
• To create an integrated, standardized dataset for future research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of existing proteomic and transcriptomic studies.
• Standardization of protein nomenclature and identifiers.
• Comparative analysis of protein and mRNA expression changes.

Main Results:

• ATP synthase F1 subunit beta (Atp5f1b) and aldolase, fructose-bisphosphate C (Aldoc) were the most consistently detected proteins.
• Consistent proteomic and transcriptomic findings included Aldoc, Plin4, Aqp4, Endod1, Glul, Anln, Aldh1l1, Parp1, Trf, Fermt2, Tmem63a, and Trim2.
• Significant gaps and limitations in current proteomic data were identified.

Conclusions:

• This study provides a comprehensive, integrated dataset of glucocorticoid-responsive proteins and transcripts.
• The findings highlight specific proteins (e.g., Aldoc) and pathways affected by glucocorticoids.
• Addressing data inconsistencies and gaps is crucial for advancing brain glucocorticoid research.