Zhang Xiaoli, Chen Yi, Yang Hedan, Ding Hui, Cai Pingping, Ge Yiping, Zheng Huiying, Sun Xiaojie, Yang Yin, Li Xinyu, Lin Tong
Department of Cosmetic Laser Surgery, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China.
Pharmacal Research Laboratory, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China.
Ann Dermatol. 2024 Oct;36(5):300-309. doi: 10.5021/ad.23.141.
Melasma is a common and chronic pigmentary disorder with complex pathogenesis, and the relationship between melasma and metabolic syndrome remains elusive. Thus, metabolomics might contribute to the early detection of potential metabolic abnormalities in individuals with melasma.
The present study aims to analyze changes in plasma metabolites of female melasma patients and identify disease markers as well as explore potential therapeutic targets.
Plasma samples from 20 female patients with melasma and 21 healthy female controls that were comparable in terms of age and body mass index were collected for untargeted metabolomics investigations. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze metabolites in the plasma. Metabolic pathway analyses were employed to identify significantly differentially expressed metabolites in melasma patients. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed, and correlation analyses were performed using the modified Melasma Area and Severity Index and oxidative stress levels.
In contrast to healthy subjects, melasma patients showed significant alterations in 125 plasma metabolites, including amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrate-related metabolites. KEGG pathway analysis suggested that primary pathways associated with the development of melasma include tryptophan metabolism, as well as the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. Importantly, based on receiver operating characteristic curves and correlation analyses, several metabolites were identified as robust biomarkers for melasma.
Collectively, this study identified significant changes in plasma metabolites in melasma patients, providing new insights into the pathogenesis of melasma and opening novel therapeutic avenues.
黄褐斑是一种常见的慢性色素沉着紊乱疾病，其发病机制复杂，黄褐斑与代谢综合征之间的关系仍不明确。因此，代谢组学可能有助于早期发现黄褐斑患者潜在的代谢异常。
本研究旨在分析女性黄褐斑患者血浆代谢物的变化，确定疾病标志物并探索潜在的治疗靶点。
收集20例女性黄褐斑患者和21例年龄及体重指数匹配的健康女性对照的血浆样本，进行非靶向代谢组学研究。采用超高效液相色谱-质谱联用技术分析血浆中的代谢物。运用代谢途径分析确定黄褐斑患者中显著差异表达的代谢物。构建受试者工作特征曲线，并使用改良的黄褐斑面积和严重程度指数及氧化应激水平进行相关性分析。
与健康受试者相比，黄褐斑患者的125种血浆代谢物出现显著变化，包括氨基酸、脂质和碳水化合物相关代谢物。KEGG通路分析表明，与黄褐斑发生相关的主要途径包括色氨酸代谢以及苯丙氨酸、酪氨酸和色氨酸的生物合成。重要的是，基于受试者工作特征曲线和相关性分析，确定了几种代谢物作为黄褐斑的可靠生物标志物。
总体而言，本研究确定了黄褐斑患者血浆代谢物的显著变化，为黄褐斑的发病机制提供了新见解，并开辟了新的治疗途径。
