Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects women of childbearing age, and is characterized by multisystem damage and the formation of various autoantibodies. However, due to its heterogeneous nature, diagnosing and monitoring SLE has been challenging. Although the exact mechanisms of SLE are still unknown, recent research has focused on the role of cellular metabolic programs in regulating the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Metabolite profiling has been identified as a potential tool for the discovery of novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of SLE.
Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for the management of SLE, as autoimmunity can start before its clinical manifestations appear. Currently, the diagnosis of SLE is based on a series of diagnostic criteria issued by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). However, the long interval from onset to final diagnosis means that some SLE patients may suffer irreversible organ damage and even death. As a result, the discovery of biomarkers has entered the era of “omics”, with metabolomics being one of the most rapidly advancing technologies. Metabolomics provides a powerful tool for the diagnosis and treatment of SLE.
Immunometabolomics, a branch of metabolomics, offers a new perspective for studying the pathogenesis of SLE. SLE is an autoimmune disease involving abnormal innate and adaptive immune responses that eventually leads to tissue damage. This damage is caused by the generation of autoantibodies directed against nuclear antigens, and the activation and differentiation of immune cells. These abnormal manifestations of immune cells may be caused by various metabolic abnormalities in the cells. Therefore, the study of immunometabolomics in SLE may provide a new insight into the disease mechanism.
SLE is a heterogeneous disease that contains different genotypes, immunophenotypes, and metabolic phenotypes. Improved classification and outcomes based on biomarkers are crucial for precise individualized treatment. However, the change of metabolites in SLE may be shared with some other autoimmune disorders. Therefore, it is essential to clarify whether the metabolic changes are specific to SLE or a common feature of other autoimmune diseases.
In summary, SLE is a complex autoimmune disease with heterogeneous clinical manifestations, and diagnosing and monitoring the disease is challenging. The discovery of biomarkers has entered the era of “omics”, with metabolomics providing a powerful tool for the diagnosis and treatment of SLE. Immunometabolomics provides a new perspective to study the pathogenesis of SLE, and the study of metabolite profiling may provide a means for mechanism exploration and novel biomarker discovery for disease diagnostic, classification, and monitoring.
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Sources: Wu, Yuxian, et al. “Immunometabolomics provides a new perspective for studying systemic lupus erythematosus.” International Immunopharmacology 118 (2023): 109946.
