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Biology subjects

Petyuk, V.

Publications and source records attributed to Petyuk, V..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Detection of Melanoma Using Deep Serum Proteome Profiling and Machine Learning

Early detection determines melanoma outcomes, yet current screening relies on visual inspection that misses molecular changes preceding clinical diagnosis. To identify serum protein signatures of melanoma development, we leveraged the Department of Defense Serum Repository, analyzing 390 longitudinal serum samples from 73 melanoma cases and matched controls across four timepoints (4 and 2 years prior, diagnosis, and 2 years post-diagnosis) using data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry with Seer Proteograph nanoparticle enrichment. We quantified 3,364 proteins and applied machine-learning strategies combining cross-sectional case-control comparisons with longitudinal tracking of within-individual changes. Cross-sectional analysis at diagnosis achieved AUC 0.823 (95% CI: 0.723-0.923), identifying eight consensus features selected in >50% of cross-validation folds: PRSS1, GSK3B, FAM20C, CES1, CCL14, EPHA10, LMAN2, and ITIH1. These signatures, spanning proteases, immune activation, and extracellular matrix remodeling, demonstrate proof-of-concept for serum-based melanoma detection and provide candidate biomarkers for validation.

Cancer Biology↗

Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Protein Co-Regulation in the Human Brain

Mitochondrial respiratory chain (RC) function requires the stoichiometric interaction among dozens of proteins but their co-regulation has not been defined in the human brain. Here, using quantitative proteomics across three independent cohorts we systematically characterized the co-regulation patterns of mitochondrial RC proteins in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Whereas the abundance of RC protein subunits that physically assemble into stable complexes were correlated, indicating their co-regulation, RC assembly factors exhibited modest co-regulation. Within complex I, nuclear DNA-encoded subunits exhibited >2.5-times higher co-regulation than mitochondrial (mt)DNA-encoded subunits. Moreover, mtDNA copy number was unrelated to mtDNA-encoded subunits abundance, suggesting that mtDNA content is not limiting. Alzheimers disease (AD) brains exhibited reduced abundance of complex I RC subunits, an effect largely driven by a 2-4% overall lower mitochondrial protein content. These findings provide foundational knowledge to identify molecular mechanisms contributing to age- and disease-related erosion of mitochondrial function in the human brain.

cell biology↗

Neuropathological correlates and genetic architecture of microglial activation in elderly human brain

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, have important roles in brain health. However, little is known about the regulation and consequences of microglial activation in the aging human brain. We assessed the effect of microglial activation in the aging human brain by calculating the proportion of activated microglia (PAM), based on morphologically defined stages of activation in four regions sampled postmortem from up to 225 elderly individuals. We found that cortical and not subcortical PAM measures were strongly associated with {beta}-amyloid, tau-related neuropathology, and rates of cognitive decline. Effect sizes for PAM measures are substantial, comparable to that of APOE {varepsilon}4, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimers disease. Mediation modeling suggests that PAM accelerates accumulation of tau pathology leading to cognitive decline, supporting an upstream role for microglial activation in Alzheimers disease. Genome-wide analyses identified a common variant (rs2997325) influencing cortical PAM that also affected in vivo microglial activation measured by positron emission tomography using [11C]-PBR28 in an independent cohort. Finally, we identify overlaps of PAMs genetic architecture with those of Alzheimers disease, educational attainment, and several other traits.

genomics↗