Metabolomics and lipidomics signature in celiac disease: a narrative review

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the small intestine caused by aberrant immune responses to consumed gluten proteins. CD is diagnosed by a combination of the patients reported symptoms, serologic and endoscopic biopsy evaluation of the small intestine; and adherence to a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) is considered the only available therapeutic approach for this disorder. Novel approaches need to be considered for finding new biomarkers to help this disorder diagnosis and finding a new alternative therapeutic method for this group of patients. Metabolomics and lipidomics are powerful tools to provide highly accurate and sensitive biomarkers. Previous studies indicated a metabolic fingerprint for CD deriving from alterations in gut microflora or intestinal permeability, malabsorption, and energy metabolism. Moreover, since CD is characterized by increased intestinal permeability and due to the importance of membrane lipid components in controlling barrier integrity, conducting lipidomics studies in this disorder is of great importance. In the current study, we tried to provide a critical overview of metabolomic and lipidomic changes in CD.

Keywords: Biomarker; Celiac disease; Lipidomics; Metabolomics.

Fig. 1

Interrelations between biological layers

Fig. 2

The metabolic fate of dietary lipids within enterocytes. CLD Cytoplasmic lipid droplet, CM chylomicron, ER endoplasmic reticulum, FA fatty acid, FABP fatty acid-binding protein, FATP4 fatty acid transport protein 4, MAG monoacylglycerol, RBP2 retinol-binding protein 2, TAG triacylglycerol

Fig. 3

Protein–protein interaction network of CD-related genes

Fig. 4

The metabolite-protein interaction network using STITCH