Proteomics profile of serum and liver samples in women with morbid
obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis
Abstract
Non-invasive methods are necessary for the diagnostic and follow-up of
metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). This study aims
to perform a proteomic analysis on serum and liver samples from morbid
obese (MO) women to identify key mediators of MASH. HPLC-MS/MS
proteomics was conducted on serum and liver samples from a cohort of 174
MO women classified by liver histology: 44 normal liver (NL), 66 simple
steatosis (SS) and 64 MASH. Serum proteomics identified 257 proteins.
The MASH individuals had 13 altered proteins, 11 upregulated and 2
downregulated. Altered proteins are primarily involved in molecular
pathways of the initial triggering and complement cascade (50%). Liver
proteomics identified 2081 proteins, with 72 upregulated and 84
downregulated in MASH. These proteins are mostly involved in molecular
pathways of amino acid metabolism (31,25%), antimicrobial peptides
(20%), fatty acid metabolism (17,5%). We identified 13 altered
proteins in serum of MASH: increased levels of fructose-bisphosphate
aldolase, clusterin, collectin-10 and -11, scavenger receptor
cysteine-rich-M130, attractin, pigment epithelium-derived factor,
vitronectin, complement factor-H, thrombospondin-4 and
apolipoprotein-AIV and decreased levels of sex hormone-binding globulin
and adiponectin. These proteins can be part of a panel of biomolecules
for the diagnosis or follow-up of MASH.