# Novel approach to exploring protease activity and targets in HIV-associated obstructive lung disease using combined proteomic-peptidomic analysis

## TL;DR

This study explores protease activity in HIV-related lung disease using proteomic and peptidomic methods to identify key enzymes and their effects on lung function.

## Contribution

A novel combined proteomic-peptidomic approach to identify protease activity and targets in HIV-associated obstructive lung disease.

## Key findings

- 101 proteases were identified, with 22 correlating with lung function (FEV1pp).
- 31 proteins were found to be cleaved by proteases, linked to SUMOylation pathways.
- Neutrophil elastase, granzyme, and cathepsin D were key proteases involved in protein degradation.

## Abstract

Obstructive lung disease (OLD) is increasingly prevalent among persons living with HIV (PLWH). However, the role of proteases in HIV-associated OLD remains unclear.

We combined proteomics and peptidomics to comprehensively characterize protease activities. We combined mass spectrometry (MS) analysis on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) peptides and proteins from PLWH with OLD (n = 25) and without OLD (n = 26) with a targeted Somascan aptamer-based proteomic approach to quantify individual proteases and assess their correlation with lung function. Endogenous peptidomics mapped peptides to native proteins to identify substrates of protease activity. Using the MEROPS database, we identified candidate proteases linked to peptide generation based on binding site affinities which were assessed via z-scores. We used t-tests to compare average forced expiratory volume in 1 s per predicted value (FEV1pp) between samples with and without detection of each cleaved protein and adjusted for multiple comparisons by controlling the false discovery rate (FDR).

We identified 101 proteases, of which 95 had functional network associations and 22 correlated with FEV1pp. These included cathepsins, metalloproteinases (MMP), caspases and neutrophil elastase. We discovered 31 proteins subject to proteolytic cleavage that associate with FEV1pp, with the top pathways involved in small ubiquitin-like modifier mediated modification (SUMOylation). Proteases linked to protein cleavage included neutrophil elastase, granzyme, and cathepsin D.

In HIV-associated OLD, a significant number of proteases are up-regulated, many of which are involved in protein degradation. These proteases degrade proteins involved in cell cycle and protein stability, thereby disrupting critical biological functions.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-024-02933-9.