Causal Relationship Between Serum Metabolites and Psoriasis Risk

According to a study published in Frontiers in Immunology, circulating metabolites may play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and could serve as potential targets for diagnosis, disease assessment, and treatment strategies.

Researchers aimed to investigate the influence of serum metabolites on the risk of psoriasis using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. In the initial stage, MR analysis was applied to assess the association between 1400 serum metabolites and psoriasis risk, with causal effects evaluated using various statistical methods and sensitivity analyses. The results revealed 112 metabolites causally associated with psoriasis, including known and unknown metabolites as well as metabolite ratios.

In the validation stage, other psoriasis genome-wide association studies  data were utilized to confirm the initial findings, and meta-analysis was conducted to combine effect sizes and establish robust causal relationships. This validation process identified 24 metabolites, including both known and unknown metabolites, with a confirmed causal relationship with psoriasis onset. Lipid metabolism was found to be predominantly involved, with some metabolites acting as risk factors and others as protective factors for psoriasis.

Specific metabolites, such as gamma-glutamylvaline, catechol sulfate, and 3-methylglutaconate, exhibited either positive or negative causal relationships with psoriasis onset. Moreover, metabolic pathway enrichment analysis highlighted pathways such as glutathione metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism, indicating their involvement in psoriasis risk.

This comprehensive analysis enhances our understanding of the metabolic basis of psoriasis and underscores the potential utility of targeting specific metabolites in managing the disease.

Reference
Yang Y, Zheng X, Lv H, et al. The causal relationship between serum metabolites and the risk of psoriasis: a Mendelian randomization and meta-analysis study. Front Immunol. Published online March 11, 2024. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2024.1343301