Circulatory Glutamine/Glucose ratio for evaluating disease activity in Takayasu arteritis: A NMR based serum metabolomics study

Abstract Quantitative assessment of disease activity is important for effective care of patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA). Activated glutaminolysis and reduced glycolytic flux is the hallmark of active inflammation. Based on this, we hypothesize that the circulatory Glutamine/Glucose ratio (QGR) can serve as an indicant of active inflammation in TA. To probe this hypothesis, the serum samples were collected from 45 active and 53 inactive TA patients fulfilling American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and assessed for disease activity according to Indian Takayasu Clinical Activity Score (ITAS) using acute phase reactant–erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ITAS-A (ESR)]. The quantitative profiles of circulatory metabolites implicated in glutaminolysis (Glutamine and Glutamate) and those which estimate glycolytic flux (i.e. glucose and lactate) were measured using high field (800 MHz) NMR spectroscopy. The recorded spectra were analyzed using CHENOMX NMR Suite and the estimated concentration profiles were compared and evaluated for their diagnostic potential using Metaboanalyst. Compared to inactive-TA patients, the sera of active-TA patients were characterized by significantly decreased serum levels of glutamine and lactate suggesting that these patients exhibit activated glutaminolysis and reduced glycolytic activity. This is further supported by significantly decreased QGR and lactate to glucose ratio (LGR) levels in active compared to inactive TA patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed satisfactory accuracy, sensitivity and specificity for QGR [with area under ROC curve (AUROC) = 0.76 and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.66–0.84) compared to that for LGR (with AUROC = 0.67 and CI = 0.561-0.77). Therefore, we believe that the circulatory QGR has the potential to serve as surrogate marker for the assessment of disease activity in TA patients. However, the use of this ratio in clinical settings will require future studies on large patient cohorts and procedural optimization as well to improve accuracy.