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Metabolic profiling to dissect the role of HLA-B27 in axial spondyloarthritis


EMSL Project ID
60570

Abstract

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and other spondyloarthropathies (SpAs) affect approximately 3 million Americans and are some of the most prevalent rheumatic diseases 18. AxSpA includes ankylosing spondylitis (AS), in which radiographic evidence of inflammation in spine or sacroiliac joints is observed, and non- radiographic axSpA in which radiographic changes are not observed. SpAs typically affect people in their third and fourth decades and can lead to lifelong debilitating disease. This coupled with limited treatment options creates a significant disease burden and unmet clinical need. Despite years of research, mechanisms that underpin the establishment of SpA remain elusive.
Most of the studies on the microbiome in axSpA have focused on microbial community structure and have yielded disparate results as the microbial community can be affected by many factors such as host genetics, diet, and environment 20-22. This study aims to address the knowledge gap of how HLA-B27 may lead to alteration of the fecal and plasma metabolome. By progressing from HLA-B27 associated taxonomic differences to functional implications of host-microbial interaction at the metabolic level, this study will address how host genetics (HLA-B27) and disease status may affect host-microbe interaction, which may lead to the development of novel metabolite biomarkers with future implications for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and even prevention.

Project Details

Start Date
2022-08-11
End Date
N/A
Status
Active

Team

Principal Investigator

Ernesto Nakayasu
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Co-Investigator(s)

Sneha Couvillion
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory