Photo Credit: DouglasOlivares
The following is a summary of “An exploratory analysis of differences in serum protein expression by sex in patients with systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease,” published in the January 2025 issue of Pulmonology by Cerro-Chiang et al.
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) was a rare connective tissue disease often affecting the skin, lungs, and pulmonary vasculature, with 30–50% of patients with SSc developing interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) and a higher incidence in men, although sex differences in protein expression in the blood had not been reported.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to identify sex differences in serum protein expression between men and women with SSc-ILD.
They analyzed serum specimens from patients with SSc-ILD using dual mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Logistic regression assessed the relationship between protein biomarkers and sex. Time-to-event analysis was conducted to compare the time to a >5% forced vital capacity (FVC) decline and the proportion of subjects with a >5% FVC decline by sex over the observation period. Chi-squared testing was applied to dichotomized proteins. Multivariable regression models were also performed, adjusting for relevant clinical variables.
The results showed 211 subjects with 162 women and 47 men, and a median follow-up of 3.52 years. No significant sex differences were observed in the time to a >5% or >10% FVC decline. Of the 704 proteins identified, 40 showed differences between sexes. After correcting for multiple tests, Autotaxin remained significantly higher in women. Autotaxin, known for activating lysophosphatidic acid and promoting fibrosis, suggested a potential role in modulating fibrotic processes in SSc-ILD.
Investigators concluded that sex-specific serum protein differences in patients with SSc-ILD identified Autotaxin as a different protein after multiple testing corrections, suggesting potential influences on disease progression and treatment response, highlighting the need for personalized therapeutic approaches and further research into sex-specific molecular pathways in SSc-ILD.
Source: bmcpulmmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12890-024-03474-z