The Cross-Talk between Microbiome and Metabolome in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Modern “omics” sciences, including metabolomics and microbiomics, are currently being applied to inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to investigate the interplay between microbiota, metabolic function, and the immune system. In recent decades, robust evidence has suggested that disruption of the normal composition of the microbiome, known as dysbiosis, in the gut and mouth of RA patients contributes to immune dysregulation and alterations in the metabolic pathways, shaping the pathogenesis of the disease and playing a central role in the risk and progression of RA. Metabolic pathways can be influenced by various agents such as the surrounding environment, lifestyle, and exposure to microbiota imbalance. In turn, the body’s metabolic homeostasis influences the immune response, making metabolomics helpful not only to understand pathogenesis pathways, but also to improve early disease detection and therapeutic chances. Combined gut microbiome and metabolome studies set out to unravel the interactions between these two entities, providing insights to discover new treatment targets and potential biomarkers to prevent joint damage. The purpose of this review is to summarize the main recent findings that suggest promising new research directions for the pathogenesis of RA.