Proteomic Profiling Reveals Autoimmune Targets in Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory lung disease with unknown cause. Previous research has shown that sarcoidosis patients have generally higher levels of antibodies compared to healthy controls but so far the role and protein targets of these antibodies are not well understood.

In this study we used protein microarrays to investigate autoantibody targets in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in the search for autoantigens associated to disease.

BAL fluid is collected through a flushing procedure of a small part of the lung and contains cells and proteins that reflect the physiological state of this organ. In our study, we analyzed in total 345 BAL samples for antibody reactivity to approximately 3000 protein fragments produced within the Human Protein Atlas. In this dataset we observed a large individual variability, both in terms of which proteins that were reactive and the number of reactivities for each individual. In addition, analysis of serum samples from the same patients revealed similar reactivity profiles, indicating antibody exchange between the local environment of the lung and the systemic circulation.

Despite the high individual variation, we found four proteins with higher reactivity in the lung of sarcoidosis patients compared to controls. These proteins are highly interesting for further analysis to unravel their role within both inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Access the antibody and antigen data in the Human Protein Atlas for ZNF688.

Access the antibody and antigen data in the Human Protein Atlas for MRPL43.

Access the antibody and antigen data in the Human Protein Atlas for NCOA2.

Access the antibody and antigen data in the Human Protein Atlas for ARFGAP1.

Read the full analysis of the autoantibody reactivity in lung sarcoidosis here.