Metabonomics analysis of decidual tissue in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion

This study aimed to delineate the metabolic differences and identify enriched pathways in the decidual tissue of patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) compared to normal pregnant women.

A cohort of 25 RSA patients and 25 normal pregnant women was recruited for the study. Non-targeted metabolomic analysis of decidual tissue was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were employed to identify differential metabolites. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database to elucidate associated metabolic pathways. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was utilized to assess the expression levels of key proteins related to these pathways, including acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO).

A total of 54 metabolites were identified with significant differences between the decidual tissues of RSA patients and normal controls, corresponding to 29 significantly enriched metabolic pathways (P<0.05). The expression of ACSL4 was markedly upregulated, while the expression of GPX4 and IDO were significantly downregulated in RSA patients (P<0.05).

This study elucidates substantial metabolic disruptions in the decidual tissue of RSA patients, identifying 54 differential metabolites and 29 enriched pathways. The altered expression of ACSL4, GPX4, and IDO underscores their potential involvement in the pathogenesis of RSA. These findings provide critical insights into the metabolic mechanisms underlying RSA and suggest promising targets for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.