Serum untargeted metabolomics combined with mouse models reveals potential mechanisms of ChengShu QingChu decoction for the treatment of vitiligo.

Abstract

To illustrate the potential immunological mechanisms of ChengShu QingChu Decoction (CSQC) in vitiligo treatment. An untargeted metabolomic approach was used to detect serum metabolites in 30 patients with progressive vitiligo. Annotation of the differential metabolites were performed using MetaboAnalyst 5.0 and the KEGG database. In addition, 58 Hub genes associated with metabolic pathways were obtained from the GSEA and KEGG databases, and functional enrichment for Hub genes. Finally, it was validated by a mouse model. 102 down-regulated and 86 up-regulated metabolites were detected in serum. The main metabolic pathways enriched for differential metabolites were sphingolipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism, and the signaling pathways included PI3K-Akt and JAK-STAT signaling pathways, and immune cells included CD56 bright natural killer cell and Central memry CD8 T cell. In the mouse model, a significant decrease in the number of CD8T cells as well as a decrease in the mRNA expression of JAK1, JAK2, and STAT1 was observed in addition to a trend toward increased melanocytes after drug treatment. This study utilizes metabolomics and bioinformatics analyses, combined with in vivo experimental validation, to elucidate the potential mechanism of CSQC in the treatment of vitiligo.