NMR based clinical metabolomics revealed altered lipid and sugar metabolism in systemic sclerosis with implications for diagnosis and therapeutic strategies

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disorder characterized by vascular dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Despite substantial research, its pathophysiology remains enigmatic, necessitating the identification of altered metabolic pathways to improve disease management. This study utilized NMR-based serum metabolomics to identify distinctive metabolic signatures and deranged pathways in SSc. 1D ¹H CPMG spectra of sera from 83 SSc patients and 43 age/sex matched HC were measured using 800 MHz NMR. Spectral binning and concentration profiling data were analyzed using multivariate statistical analysis to identify discriminatory metabolic features based variable importance in projection (VIP) scores and mean decrease accuracy (MDA). Univariate statistical analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis further evaluated their diagnostic potential. Multivariate analysis revealed clear differentiation between SSc and HC. SSc patients showed decreased levels of alanine, valine, myo-inositol, creatinine, pyruvate, lactate, PUFA, LDL/VLDL, and lipids, alongside elevated levels of acetate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, and mannose. Twelve key metabolites demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing SSc from HC. Pathway analysis revealed disruptions in sugar metabolism, branched-chain amino acids, fatty acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. These findings underscore NMR-based metabolomics as a promising tool for improving SSc diagnosis and understanding its pathogenesis, paving the way for targeted therapeutic strategies.