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

Abstract

Purpose

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease in which skin involvement is a common manifestation. It is currently thought that the photosensitivity of SLE skin involvement is associated with anti-SSA antibodies. This study aimed to expand the current state of knowledge surrounding the molecular pathophysiology of SLE skin photosensitivity through Serum metabolomics analysis.

Patients and Methods

The serum metabolites of 23 cases of skin-involved SLE (SI) group, 14 cases of no SI (NSI) group, and 30 cases of healthy controls (HC) were analyzed by using UPLC-MS/MS technology, and subgroup analysis was performed according to the expression of anti-SSA antibodies in SI. MetaboAnalyst 5.0 was used for enrichment analysis and ROC curve construction, identifying serum metabolic markers of skin-involved SLE associated with anti-SSA antibodies.

Results

We identified several metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with SLE photosensitivity. Two metabolites, SM (d18:1/24:0) and gamma-CEHC can distinguish between anti-SSA antibody-positive and negative SI, with AUC of 0.829 and 0.806. These two photosensitization-related substances may be potential markers of skin involvement in SLE associated with anti-SSA antibody.

Conclusion

This study provides new insights into the pathogenesis of SI patients, and provides a new molecular biological basis for the association between anti-SSA antibodies and skin photoallergic manifestations of SLE.

Keywords:

• systemic lupus erythematosus
• metabolomics
• biomarkers
• anti-SSA antibodies
• photosensitivity

Statement of Ethics

This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, approval number [2021-KL-071-01]. All of the participants enrolled in the study gave their written informed consent.

Acknowledgments

We thank all members involved in this study, especially Hangzhou Dian Medical Laboratory Center Co., Ltd., for their technical support for this study.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.82074341), Zhejiang Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Program (No.2020ZX008) and General Research Project of Education Department of Zhejiang Province (No.Y202248715).