Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42055611›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Molecular characterisation of progressive pulmonary sarcoidosis: protocol for a longitudinal multi-centre study to develop peripheral blood circulating biomarkers for predicting pulmonary sarcoidosis progression.

Maneesh Bhargava, Elliott D Crouser, Briana Q Barkes, Danielle O Weise, David M Perlman, L Elaine Epperson, Timothy J Griffin, Pratik D Jagtap, Subina Mehta, Li Li and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Maneesh BhargavaDivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA maneesh.bhargava@osumc.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1294-6181
Elliott D CrouserDivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3197-6746
Briana Q BarkesDivision of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8556-4283
Danielle O WeiseBiochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8644-8030
David M PerlmanDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7055-0970
L Elaine EppersonDivision of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6715-1001
Timothy J GriffinBiochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6801-2559
Pratik D JagtapBiochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0984-0973
Subina MehtaBiochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9818-0537
Li LiDivision of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0692-6889
Sonia M LeachDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2910-069X
Lisa A MaierDivision of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6872-1769

Funding

Molecular Characterization of Progressive Pulmonary SarcoidosisR01HL162955 · NHLBI · NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH · PI Maneesh Bhargava, ELLIOTT D CROUSER · 2023 to 2026
$3.2M
NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL162955
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSarcoidosis is a heterogeneous granulomatous disease with highly variable clinical trajectories, yet no validated biomarkers exist to distinguish progressive sarcoidosis (P-sarcoidosis) from non-progressive disease (NP-sarcoidosis). This lack of tractable biomarkers limits early risk stratification and impedes therapeutic decision-making. Preliminary data from our group suggest that P-sarcoidosis and NP-sarcoidosis may be differentiated by blood-derived and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived molecular signatures, as well as ex vivo granuloma biogenesis in response to putative disease-causing antigens. This protocol describes a multi-omic study aimed at identifying mechanistically grounded, clinically translatable biomarkers that distinguish P-sarcoidosis from NP-sarcoidosis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform an integrative proteomic and transcriptomic analysis across three biological compartments: ex vivo granuloma model, PBMCs and plasma. Participants with clinically adjudicated P-sarcoidosis or NP-sarcoidosis will provide blood samples for multi-omic profiling. P-sarcoidosis versus NP-sarcoidosis phenotype will be assessed based on changes in spirometry, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, chest radiography and need for treatment for pulmonary symptoms. Patient-reported outcomes will also be recorded. Data-driven computational approaches will be used to identify molecular pathways associated with granuloma formation and disease persistence and to develop a classifier that distinguishes P-sarcoidosis from NP-sarcoidosis. Rigorous internal validation, feature-selection procedures and statistical controls for high-dimensional data will be applied. Candidate biomarkers emerging from multi-compartment integration will be prioritised based on biological coherence, reproducibility and clinical feasibility. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol has been approved by the Biomedical Research Alliance of New York, serving as a single Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the project (IRB # 23-02-503), as well as at National Jewish Health (IRB# HS-4091), University of Minnesota (STUDY00020121/SITE00002051) and The Ohio State University (IRB# 2023X0140). All participants will provide informed consent prior to enrolment. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, scientific conferences and presentations to patients and advocacy groups. De-identified datasets and analytic workflows will be shared in accordance with institutional policies and data-sharing agreements.

Indexed as

BiomarkersSarcoidosis, PulmonaryDisease ProgressionHumansLeukocytes, MononuclearLongitudinal StudiesMultiomicsProteomicsResearch DesignBiomarkersLung Diseases, InterstitialMachine LearningPulmonary DiseaseRare Diseases

Identifiers

PMID42055611
PMCPMC13141235

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.