Proteomics of hosts and pathogens in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a congenital disease that results in great morbidity and mortality mainly in the Caucasian population. Although CF is a monogenic disease caused by mutation in the CF conductance transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene, most of the related mortality can be attributed to infection mediated by opportunistic bacterial and fungal pathogens. Over the past decade, advancements in the field of proteomics have helped to gain insight into the repertoire of host and pathogen proteins involved in CF pathophysiology. This review provides an overview of the contributions of proteomic studies in advancing our knowledge of the biology of CF and disease progression associated with pathogen infection and host defense responses.