Identification of Serum Biomarkers and Pathways of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Skin Involvement Through GC/MS-Based Metabolomics Analysis

Abstract

Purpose Skin involvement is the second most common symptom of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and the prevention of skin lesion development might benefit to lessen the system inflammation burden in SLE. However, the mechanisms of skin lesion in SLE remain unclear. Patients and Methods Metabolome based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for comparison of serum metabolism among 11 SLE patients with skin lesion (SL), 10 SLE patients without skin lesion (SNL), and 16 healthy controls (HC). The analysis of metabolism profiles was through LUG database, Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) as well as Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Results A total of 14 most meaningful metabolites were found in SL patients compared to SNL patients, and 19 metabolic pathways were enriched. Meanwhile, L-alpha-aminobutyric acid, dehydroascorbic acid, glycine, and L-tyrosine achieved an area under receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.8636, 0.8091, 0.7727, and 0.7636, respectively, indicating their diagnostic potential for SL patients. In addition, the combined model of L-alpha-aminobutyric acid and dehydroascorbic acid provided better diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion The metabolomic features of SLE patients with skin lesion could be detected by GC/MS assay. Our study tried to provide new insights into the mechanism of SLE skin injury. Further validation of these findings through larger sample size studies may contribute to the use of metabolic profile analysis.

Metabolomic and Proteomic Identification of Serum Exosome for Hypoxic Preconditioning Participants

“…Cyperotundone has antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and redox properties [ 54 ]. L-Alpha-aminobutyric acid was upregulated in autoimmune diseases [ 55 ]. Given that several highly differentially expressed proteins and metabolites in participants under hypoxia preconditioning, the functions of these molecules are mainly involved in anti-inflammation and antioxidation, and therefore, it is possible that these molecules could serve as targets to inform the AMS susceptibility.…”

Serum Metabolomics Analysis of Skin-Involved Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Association of Anti-SSA Antibodies with Photosensitivity

“…A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry study of serum metabolomics has suggested that l-alpha-aminobutyric acid, dehydroascorbic acid, glycine, and l-tyrosine may be potential markers of skin lesions in SLE. 40 Another study on multisystem involvement in SLE suggested that L-isoleucine and TAG metabolites are associated with SLE skin involvement. 14 The results of this study suggest that arginine biosynthesis, sphingolipid metabolism, alanine, aspartate, glutamate metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and citric acid cycle are the metabolic pathways mainly altered by skin involved SLE, some of the differential metabolites differ from other studies, probably due to the choice of the detection method and individual difference.…”