Korean researchers identify differences in plasma proteome by sex
A research team in Korea has discovered significant sex-based differences in the plasma proteome.
On Monday, the research team, led by Professor Kim Kwang-eun of the Department of Convergence Medical Science at Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, announced that they recently confirmed that approximately 38 percent of mouse plasma proteomes show distinct sex differences.
According to the research team, sex is a biological variable that influences disease occurrence and drug response, yet it is not sufficiently reflected in research.
Recent studies suggest that disease diagnosis and drug use should consider sex differences. Plasma proteomes are important biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis.
Despite their importance, systematic analysis of sex-related expression differences during biomarker discovery remains scarce.
The research team used the latest proteomics analysis technology, Olink—a proximity extension assay platform—to analyze sex-specific plasma proteome expression in two mouse strains (C57BL/6 and BALB/c).
The results revealed that 33 proteins, or 37.9 percent of the total 87 proteins, showed sex-dependent expression differences. Notably, lipoprotein lipase (LPL), an enzyme involved in breaking down fat-carrying particles in the blood, was highly expressed in both strains, while ghrelin (GHRL), a hormone that stimulates appetite, was highly expressed in female BALB/c mice.
The same pattern was observed in human blood and tissue data.
The research team explained that this could provide important clues for understanding sex differences in fat and energy metabolism.
“Sex must be considered in medical and scientific research. Selecting appropriate animal models that can reflect human sex differences is essential for developing effective biomarkers and establishing personalized treatment strategies,” Professor Kim said.
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