Molecular profiling of respiratory diseases using mass spectrometry-based approaches

Respiratory disorders, both chronic and infectious, pose a significant global health challenge, with advanced molecular profiling techniques like mass spectrometry playing a crucial role in unraveling their complexities. This thesis explored molecular signatures associated with chronic respiratory conditions (asthma, COPD, rhinitis) and infectious diseases like COVID-19 and long COVID, utilizing mass spectrometry- based peptidomics and metabolomics. For COVID-19, our study focused on both acute and long-term effects. Using peptidomics, we identified peptides correlated with infection presence and severity, originating from inflammation, coagulation, immune response-related proteins. Transitioning to long COVID, targeted metabolomics revealed alterations in neurotransmitters and tryptophan metabolites associated with psychophysical symptoms. In chronic respiratory diseases, understanding their molecular underpinnings is challenging. Utilizing untargeted metabolomics on exhaled breath condensate samples, we aimed to uncover molecular signatures across asthma, COPD, rhinitis, and healthy controls. This comprehensive approach offered insights into specific metabolites associated with diverse respiratory conditions. Overall, mass spectrometry-based molecular profiling offers a comprehensive strategy for uncovering insights, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets in respiratory health, advancing our understanding of both chronic and infectious respiratory diseases.