Proteomic Study of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia Reveals FCGBP as A
Serum Biomarker and Implicates Potential Therapeutic Targets
Abstract
Macrolides and corticosteroid resistant have been reported in mycoplasma
pneumoniae (MP) pneumonia (MPP). MP clearance is difficult even by
sensitive antibiotics in severe MPP (SMPP). SMPP children might develop
into airway remodeling even bronchiolitis/bronchitis obliterans. There
is an urgent need to identify serum biomarkers indicating the progress
of MPP and to discover new target drugs for the treatment of SMPP. In
this study, we collected serum samples from general MPP (GMPP) and SMPP
patients to perform proteomics profiling. Total 130 differentially
expressed proteins with 61 up-regulated in GMPP and 69 up-regulated in
SMPP were identified. Among these, FCGBP was one of the most altered
protein with highest fold change. Biological enrichment analysis
indicated an uncontrolled inflammation catastrophe in SMPP. In addition,
complement, coagulation cascades, collagen-containing extracellular
matrix and platelet degranulation pathway were enriched in both groups.
KEGG analysis indicated an enriched platelet activation in SMPP. ELISA
was then performed to verify the dynamic serum FCGBP expression level
between other GMPP and SMPP patients. FCGBP level in SMPP was
significantly higher than that in GMPP. FCGBP level in GMPP exhibited a
decreased trend while SMPP showed the opposite trend during the disease
course. Our study demonstrates the first proteomics characteristic of
GMPP and SMPP and provides FCGBP as a new serum biomarker indicating the
progress of SMPP. Further CMap analysis identified 25 drugs target for
the treatment of SMPP. Among them, MTOR inhibitor, a macrolide compound
and cell proliferation inhibitor, is the most promising drug targeting
for the treatment of SMPP.