# Aptamer Proteomic Analysis of Systemic Sclerosis Serum Exosomes

> **NIH NIH R21** · THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $181,661

## Abstract

The discovery of objective non-invasive biomarkers that may allow to diagnose Systemic Sclerosis-
associated interstitial lung disease ( SSc-ILD) at an early stage and to identify patients with Raynaud’s
Phenomenon evolving into SSc would be highly valuable for prompt initiation of SSc-disease- modifying
therapy. We propose to utilize novel Aptamer-Based Proteomics for the analysis of the protein cargo of
Serum Exosomes isolated from patients with recent-onset diffuse SSc with and without SSc-ILD and from
patients with Primary Raynaud’s Phenomenon and patients with Raynaud’s Phenomenon with positive
serum antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA). The aptamer proteomic approach measures simultaneously
1,305 proteins and offers an extraordinarily high level of sensitivity (from femtomolar to micromolar).
Exosomes, microvesicles secreted by all cells, contain a broad assortment of macromolecules, including
proteins. The exosome cargo reflects their cell of origin and, most importantly, the pathologic status of the
cells. We propose to test the following hypothesis: “The unbiased proteomic analysis of serum exosomes
employing a highly sensitive aptamer-based proteomic assay will identify proteins that may serve as
specific biomarkers for the early diagnosis of SSc-ILD and for the identification of patients with
Raynaud’s Phenomenon at high risk of evolving into SSc.” We will pursue the following Specific Aims:
Specific Aim 1: Identify employing aptamer-based proteomics differentially expressed proteins in
serum exosomes from patients with recent onset SSc-ILD compared with exosomes from SSc patients
without SSc-ILD.
Specific Aim 2: Identify employing aptamer-based proteomics differentially expressed proteins in
serum exosomes from patients with Primary Raynaud’s Phenomenon compared with exosomes from
patients with Raynaud’s Phenomenon at high risk of evolving into SSc.
Specific Aim 3: Examine whether the most differentially increased proteins identified in Aims 1 and
2 induce in vitro a profibrotic phenotype in normal human lung fibroblasts or endothelial to
mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in normal human lung microvascular endothelial cells.
To accomplish these Aims, exosomes will be isolated from serum from: 1; patients with diffuse SSc without
SSc-ILD, 2; patients with diffuse SSc and recent onset SSc-ILD, 3; patients with Primary Raynaud’s
Phenomenon, and 4; patients with Raynaud’s Phenomenon harboring serum ANA without other clinical
evidence of SSc. The novel aptamer-based proteomic analysis should allow the identification of proteins that
may serve as valuable biomarkers for the early diagnosis of SSc-ILD and of Raynaud’s Phenomenon at
high risk of evolving into SSc. The proposed studies may also uncover novel proteins involved in the
molecular pathogenesis of SSc tissue fibrosis and vasculopathy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9968021
- **Project number:** 5R21AR074016-02
- **Recipient organization:** THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** SERGIO A JIMENEZ
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $181,661
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9968021

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9968021, Aptamer Proteomic Analysis of Systemic Sclerosis Serum Exosomes (5R21AR074016-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9968021. Licensed CC0.

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