Circulating proteomic landscape of lung function

Background Large-scale genetic and epigenetic studies have identified numerous genes linked to lung function. However, proteomics, which can offer more direct insights into pathophysiological processes, remains underexplored. We aimed to identify circulating proteins related to lung function. Methods In 20 823 adults (71% European, 15% African and 15% Asian ancestries) across five cohorts we investigated spirometry parameters (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV 1 /FVC) in relation to abundance in circulation of 4693 proteins assessed using the SomaScan platform. Study-level associations were determined using robust linear regression, adjusting for confounders including age, sex, height, weight and smoking. Results were then meta-analysed using inverse variance weighting. Results In this multi-ancestry population, 1055 proteins were significantly associated with a lung function trait after Bonferroni correction (p