PROTEOMIC PROFILING OF NATIVE HEART VALVES EXPLANTED IN RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE PATIENTS

Highlights

• 81 unique proteins were identified in the native heart valves affected by rheumatic heart disease.
• The identified unique proteins are involved in the organization of extracellular matrix and collagen fibrils, cell adhesion, the regulation of osteoblast differentiation, cell migration, and endothelial cell proliferation.
• When compared with native heart valves affected by calcific aortic valve disease, 24 upregulated and 9 downregulated proteins were identified in native heart valves explanted from patients with rheumatic heart disease.

Aim. To identify key proteins and signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Methods. Using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we performed label-free proteomic profiling of native heart valves explanted from RHD patients (n = 3). Native heart valves affected by calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) (n = 5) were used as a comparison group.

Results. 81 unique proteins involved in the organization of extracellular matrix and collagen fibrils, cell adhesion, the regulation of osteoblast differentiation, cell migration, and endothelial cell proliferation were identified in native heart valves obtained from RHD patients. Furthermore, when compared with native heart valves affected by CAVD, 33 differentially expressed proteins were identified in native heart valves affected by RHD (24 upregulated and 9 downregulated).

Conclusion. Proteomic profiling of native heart valves explanted from RHD patients revealed unique and differentially expressed proteins and signaling pathways involved in the development of this pathological condition relative to heart valves affected by CAVD. The obtained pilot data contribute to our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying the RHD pathogenesis and can also be used to search for targeted molecular therapies for the correction of this pathology.

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