Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41685233›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in endocrinology2026

Integrated multi-platform metabolomics reveals fatty acid-mediated inflammatory signatures in pretibial myxedema.

Jiayi Cai, Li Zhang, Jie Zheng, Meng Pan, Xia Li, Xiaoqing Zhao, Shuoting Wang, Zirou Shang, Han Cao, Xiaoying Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jiayi Cai *Department of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Li Zhang *Department of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Jie ZhengDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Meng PanDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Xia LiDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Xiaoqing ZhaoDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Shuoting WangDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Zirou ShangDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Han CaoDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Xiaoying ChenDepartment of Dermatology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Context: Pretibial myxedema (PTM) is a refractory autoimmune dermopathy associated with Graves' disease. Although metabolic dysregulation has been recognized in thyroid-associated disorders, the metabolic profile and its functional role in PTM remain unclear. Objective: To characterize the metabolic landscape of PTM lesions and explore the contribution of fatty acids to fibroblast dysfunction and inflammation. Methods: We performed untargeted metabolomic profiling of PTM skin lesions and healthy controls using LC-MS and GC-MS, integrated with spatial metabolomics to localize metabolic changes. Functional assays were conducted by stimulating human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs) with palmitic acid (PA) and oleic acid (OA), followed by RNA sequencing, cytokine assays, and immunohistochemistry. Results: PTM lesions exhibited substantial metabolic dysregulation, including accumulation of fatty acids and elevated tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Spatial metabolomics confirmed pronounced lipid deposition in the dermis, the primary site of PTM pathology. RNA-seq of fibroblasts stimulated with PA and OA revealed enrichment of inflammatory pathways, including IL-17 and NF-κB signaling, and marked upregulation of IL-8 (CXCL8). Fatty acid stimulation induced robust IL-8 secretion, consistent with increased IL-8 expression in PTM lesions. Moreover, PA promoted α-SMA expression in fibroblasts, suggesting induction of myofibroblast differentiation. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that dermal fatty acid accumulation in PTM may contribute to fibroblast-mediated inflammation and fibrosis. This study provides novel insights into the metabolic-immunologic interface underlying PTM pathogenesis.

Indexed as

Fatty AcidsInflammationLeg DermatosesMetabolomicsMyxedemaCase-Control StudiesCells, CulturedFibroblastsHumansInterleukin-8MaleMetabolomeOleic AcidPalmitic AcidFatty AcidsInterleukin-8Oleic AcidPalmitic Acidfatty acid metabolismfibroblast activationpretibial myxedemaspatial metabolomicsuntargeted metabolomics

Identifiers

PMID41685233
PMCPMC12890676

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.