A shotgun proteomic approach reveals novel potential salivary protein biomarkers for asthma

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine if there is an association between the salivary protein profile and disease control in asthma.

Methods

Thirty asthmatic patients (17 adults and 13 children) participated in this study. Saliva samples were collected from healthy subjects, controlled and uncontrolled asthmatics. Individual samples from each group were combined to form a pooled sample, from which proteomic analysis was performed using gel-based quantitative proteomics.

Results

Fourteen out of thirty asthmatics were classified to be controlled asthma. Most of asthmatics received inhaled corticosteroids as the controller medications. SDS-PAGE showed predominant bands at high molecular weight in asthmatic saliva compared to that of the controls. Shotgun proteomic analyses indicated that 193 salivary proteins were expressed in both controlled and uncontrolled asthmatics. They were predicted to associate with proteins involved in pathogenesis of asthma including IL-5, IL-6, MCP-1, VEGF, and periostin and asthma medicines (Cromolyn, Nedocromil, and Theophylline). Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NME1-NME2) only expressed in controlled asthmatics whereas polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1 (PKHD1)/fibrocystin, zinc finger protein 263 (ZNF263), uncharacterized LOC101060047 (ENSG00000268865), desmoglein 2 (DSG2) and S100 calcium binding protein A2 (S100A2) were only found in uncontrolled asthma. Therefore, the six proteins were associated with disease control in children and adults with asthma.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that NME1-NME2, PKHD1, ZNF 263, uncharacterized LOC101060047, DSG 2 and S100 A2 in saliva are associated with disease control in asthma.

Keywords:

• Asthma
• saliva
• shot gun proteomics
• protein biomarkers
• STITCH

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the subjects who volunteered in this study. The authors thank Dr. Paopanga Kokilakanit for assisting in saliva sample collection, process, and storage. The English editing of this manuscript was kindly performed by Christian Estacio, Walailak University.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no financial, consulting or personal relationship(s) disclosures to report.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Thammasat University (Grant Number TU-2560).