A proteomics and redox proteomics approach to understanding ARDS heterogeneity

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe and heterogeneous critical illness characterized by systemic inflammation, lung injury, and profound hypoxemia. To investigate the temporal evolution of molecular features underlying ARDS heterogeneity, we applied advanced proteomics and redox proteomics to matched plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples collected longitudinally from 16 intensive care unit (ICU) ARDS patients during hospitalization. Exploratory, data-driven hierarchical clustering (Ward method) identified three distinct molecular patterns across patients represented as Groups A, B, and C. This framework was associated with illness severity at study enrollment (Group A profiling patients with more severe illness at enrollment), demonstrated temporal stability across sampling timepoints, and revealed molecular features associated with clinical improvement during hospitalization. Key pathways distinguishing the molecular patterns and consistent with prior findings included the production and detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Liver X receptor–Retinoid X receptor (LXR/RXR) activation and 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR24) signaling, interleukin-12 (IL-12) signaling and production in macrophages, and neutrophil degranulation. Although plasma proteomic profiles were generally consistent with findings in BAL fluid, BAL fluid data were more mechanistically informative and enabled clearer and more consistent interrogation of ARDS molecular heterogeneity. The results highlight the potential value of lung–focused, temporal studies to improve patient stratification and guide future therapeutic strategies. However, the modest cohort size and exploratory nature of this study necessitate cautious interpretation of pathway-level inferences. Future longitudinal studies in larger, independent ARDS cohorts will be required to validate these molecular groups and assess their clinical relevance.