Proteoform analysis of the human olfactory system: a window into neurodegenerative diseases

Background: Very little is known about the proteome of the human olfactory system and how diseases associated with olfactory dysfunctions can affect it. With this review, we try to summarize the existing literature on the use of this technique for a better understanding of the neurodegenerative disease process. Methods: We used the PubMed database and found different articles which were then selected independently by three authors. Results: We found 157 articles, of which, after careful selection, only 30 were analyzed in this review. We presented all the associations identified between the protein/pathway alterations neurodegenerative diseases and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions: We think that the proteome of the olfactory system through blood, saliva, and mucus analysis could be a new way to better understand, diagnose, and finally treat neurodegenerative diseases.