Comparative bioinformatics analysis between proteomes of rabbit aneurysm model and human intracranial aneurysm with label-free quantitative proteomics.

Aims: This study aimed to find critical proteins involved in the development of intracranial aneurysm by comparing proteomes of rabbit aneurysm model and human aneurysms.

Methods: Five human intracranial aneurysm samples and 5 superficial temporal artery samples, and 4 rabbit aneurysm samples and 4 control samples were collected for protein mass spectrometry. Four human intracranial aneurysm samples and 4 superficial temporal artery samples, and 6 rabbit aneurysm samples and 6 control samples were used for immunochemistry.

Results: Proteomic analysis revealed 180 significantly differentially expressed proteins in human intracranial aneurysms and 716 significantly differentially expressed proteins in rabbit aneurysms. Among them, 57 proteins were differentially expressed in both species, in which 24 were increased and 33 were decreased in aneurysms compared to the control groups. Proteins were involved in focal adhesion and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction pathways. We found that COL4A2, MYLK, VCL, and TAGLN may be related to aneurysm development.

Conclusion: Proteomics analysis provided fundamental insights into the pathogenesis of aneurysm. Proteins related to focal adhesion and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction pathways play an important role in the occurrence and development of intracranial aneurysm.