Systematic review on recent potential biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and associated with decreased lung function and inflammation. The heterogeneity of COPD and its molecular and clinical features hinder efficient patient stratification and introduction of personalized therapeutic approaches. The available clinical tools do not efficiently predict the progression and exacerbations of the disease.

Areas covered: An overview of the most recent studies on putative COPD protein biomarkers and the challenges for implementing their use in the clinical setting is presented.

Expert commentary: Proteomics biomarker discovery in COPD has mostly focused on approaches evaluating specific proteins on a limited number of samples. The most promising protein candidates can be classified into five main biological categories: extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, inflammation/immune response, oxidative stress response, vascular tone regulation, and lipid metabolism. To efficiently stratify COPD patients and predict exacerbations, it will be necessary to implement biomarker panels to better represent the complex pathophysiology of this disease. The application of unbiased proteomics and bioinformatics followed by appropriate clinical validation studies will contribute to the achievement of this aim while increasing the number of validated biomarkers that can enter the qualification processes by the regulatory entities.

KEYWORDS:

• Protein biomarkers
• proteomics
• biomarkers
• COPD
• exacerbations
• mortality

Declaration of interest

Eda Celikbas was supported by a STSM grant from the EU funded CliniMARK COST Action (CA16113 ‘good biomarker practice’ to increase the number of clinically validated biomarkers). Deborah Penque and Jerome Zoidakis are also active members of CliniMark COST Action project. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewers disclosure

One reviewer is an employee and shareholder of GlaxoSmithKline. The remaining peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

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Funding

This paper was not funded.