Computational Biomarker Pipeline from Discovery to Clinical Implementation: Plasma Proteomic Biomarkers for Cardiac Transplantation

Recent technical advances in the field of quantitative proteomics have stimulated a large number of biomarker discovery studies of various diseases, providing avenues for new treatments and diagnostics. However, inherent challenges have limited the successful translation of candidate biomarkers into clinical use, thus highlighting the need for a robust analytical methodology to transition from biomarker discovery to clinical implementation. We have developed an end-to-end computational proteomic pipeline for biomarkers studies. At the discovery stage, the pipeline emphasizes different aspects of experimental design, appropriate statistical methodologies, and quality assessment of results. At the validation stage, the pipeline focuses on the migration of the results to a platform appropriate for external validation, and the development of a classifier score based on corroborated protein biomarkers. At the last stage towards clinical implementation, the main aims are to develop and validate an assay suitable for clinical deployment, and to calibrate the biomarker classifier using the developed assay. The proposed pipeline was applied to a biomarker study in cardiac transplantation aimed at developing a minimally invasive clinical test to monitor acute rejection. Starting with an untargeted screening of the human plasma proteome, five candidate biomarker proteins were identified. Rejection-regulated proteins reflect cellular and humoral immune responses, acute phase inflammatory pathways, and lipid metabolism biological processes. A multiplex multiple reaction monitoring mass-spectrometry (MRM-MS) assay was developed for the five candidate biomarkers and validated by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent (ELISA) and immunonephelometric assays (INA). A classifier score based on corroborated proteins demonstrated that the developed MRM-MS assay provides an appropriate methodology for an external validation, which is still in progress. Plasma proteomic biomarkers of acute cardiac rejection may offer a relevant post-transplant monitoring tool to effectively guide clinical care. The proposed computational pipeline is highly applicable to a wide range of biomarker proteomic studies.Author Summary: Novel proteomic technology has led to the generation of vast amounts of biological data and the identification of numerous potential biomarkers. However, computational approaches to translate this information into knowledge capable of impacting clinical care have been lagging. We propose a computational proteomic pipeline for biomarker studies that is founded on the combination of advanced statistical methodologies. We demonstrate our approach through the analysis of data obtained from heart transplant patients. Heart transplantation is the gold standard treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure, but is complicated by episodes of immune rejection that can adversely impact patient outcomes. Current rejection monitoring approaches are highly invasive, requiring a biopsy of the heart. This work aims to reduce the need for biopsies, and demonstrate the power and utility of computational approaches in proteomic biomarker discovery. Our work utilizes novel high-throughput proteomic technology combined with advanced statistical techniques to identify blood markers that guide the decision as to whether a biopsy is warranted, reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies, and ultimately diagnose the presence of rejection in heart transplant patients. Additionally, the proposed computational methodologies can be applied to a range of proteomic biomarker studies of various diseases and conditions.