Lipids, as vital components of cell membranes and key players in energy metabolism, play a fundamental role in the immune system and are closely implicated in immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, plaque psoriasis (PsO), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The exploration of lipid profiles holds significant promise as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis, disease progression, and therapeutic guidance in IMDs. However, the field of lipidomics poses notable challenges that must be overcome to facilitate accurate analysis and interpretation of lipid data.
One of the primary challenges in lipidomics is the need for specific procedures for sampling, sample preparation, and analysis to ensure the reliable determination of lipid molecules. Lipids exhibit highly variable concentrations in different biological matrices, necessitating robust methodologies to account for this variability. Moreover, the vast number of relevant lipids further complicates the analysis, requiring comprehensive approaches for lipid profiling. Ensuring the stability of the compounds throughout the analytical workflow is a critical aspect that adds to the complexity of lipidomic studies. Lipids are susceptible to various factors that can alter their composition and integrity, such as oxidation, hydrolysis, degradation and ex-vivo formation. Therefore, meticulous attention must be paid to pre-analytical sample handling. This step requires close collaboration between lipidomics researchers and clinicians to establish standardized protocols. Furthermore, lipidomics projects face other hurdles, including the classification and interpretation of vast datasets containing numerous lipid species. Advanced computational tools and data analysis techniques are necessary to identify relevant lipid signatures and establish meaningful associations with clinical phenotypes. Selecting a meaningful cohort for analysis presents a challenge, as the complex nature of immune-mediated diseases requires careful consideration of factors such as disease subtype, severity, stage, and treatment history, is another critical challenge [1.]
In conclusion, lipidomics research in the context of IMDs presents both promising opportunities and notable challenges. To unlock the full potential of lipidomics as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in immune-mediated diseases, it is imperative to overcome these challenges. They encompass the development of standardized protocols for sampling and analysis, ensuring the stability of lipid analytes, and implementing robust data analysis strategies.
Literature:
[1] S. Rischke, JMSACL. 2023, 28, 47-55.
