Investigation of Novel Therapeutic Targets for Rheumatoid Arthritis Through Human Plasma Proteome

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that remains incurable. An increasing number of proteomic genome-wide association studies (GWASs) are emerging, offering immense potential for identifying novel therapeutic targets for diseases. This study aims to identify potential therapeutic targets for RA based on human plasma proteome. Methods: Protein quantitative trait loci were extracted and integrated from eight large-scale proteomic GWASs. Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (Pro-MR) was performed to prioritize proteins causally associated with RA. Further validation of the reliability and stratification of prioritized proteins was performed using MR meta-analysis, colocalization, and transcriptome-wide summary-data-based MR. Subsequently, prioritized proteins were characterized through protein–protein interaction and enrichment analyses, pleiotropy assessment, genetically engineered mouse models, cell-type-specific expression analysis, and druggability evaluation. Phenotypic expansion analyses were also conducted to explore the effects of the prioritized proteins on phenotypes such as endocrine disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and other immune-related diseases. Results: Pro-MR prioritized 32 unique proteins associated with RA risk. After validation, prioritized proteins were stratified into four reliability tiers. Prioritized proteins showed interactions with established RA drug targets and were enriched in an immune-related functional profile. Four trans-associated proteins exhibited vertical or horizontal pleiotropy with specific genes or proteins. Genetically engineered mouse models for 18 prioritized protein-coding genes displayed abnormal immune phenotypes. Single-cell RNA sequencing data were used to validate the enriched expression of several prioritized proteins in specific synovial cell types. Nine prioritized proteins were identified as targets of existing drugs in clinical trials or were already approved. Further phenome-wide MR and mediation analyses revealed the effects and potential mediating roles of some prioritized proteins on other phenotypes. Conclusions: This study identified 32 plasma proteins as potential therapeutic targets for RA, expanding the prospects for drug discovery and deepening insights into RA pathogenesis.