Serum Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Differences Between Systemic Sclerosis Patients with Polyneuropathy.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Clinical Medicine
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Metabolome studies in systemic sclerosis (SSc) are limited.
• Polyneuropathy (PNP) as an SSc complication has been understudied.
• This research investigates metabolic changes in SSc patients with PNP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine metabolic alterations in SSc patients with and without PNP.
• To identify specific biomarkers for SSc-associated PNP.
• To determine if SSc patients with PNP represent a distinct metabolomic subgroup.

Main Methods:

• Targeted metabolomics using LC-MS analysis of plasma samples.
• Comparison of metabolite profiles between SSc patients (n=62) and healthy controls (HC, n=72).
• Subgroup analysis of SSc patients with PNP (42% of cohort).

Main Results:

• Reduced levels of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, valine, and citrulline in SSc patients compared to HC.
• Elevated concentrations of kynurenine, asparagine, and alanine identified.
• Metabolic changes in SSc patients with PNP differ from those without PNP, with elevated kynurenine and alanine being specific.

Conclusions:

• Metabolic dysregulation in SSc patients is not uniform and differs in the presence of PNP.
• SSc patients with PNP display unique metabolomic signatures.
• Considering SSc patients with PNP as a distinct population is warranted due to their specific metabolic features.