Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and joint destruction, with emerging evidence implicating gut microbiota dysbiosis in its pathogenesis. The current study explores the role of ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, in modulating gut microbiota and metabolic dysregulation through the enzyme peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model. Our findings demonstrate that ferroptosis exacerbates RA-related inflammatory responses and joint damage by upregulating PAD4 expression, which, in turn, influences the gut microbial composition and associated metabolite profiles. Erastin, a known ferroptosis agonist, significantly increased the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Proteobacteria while reducing beneficial taxa like Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. This microbial shift was associated with heightened oxidative stress and an imbalance in key metabolites, such as lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine 14:0 (LysoPE 14:0), further exacerbated by ferroptosis. Co-treatment with GSK484, a PAD4 inhibitor, reversed these effects, restoring microbial homeostasis and reducing joint inflammation. This study suggests that ferroptosis-mediated PAD4 activity contributes to RA pathogenesis by disrupting the gut-joint axis, providing novel insights into potential therapeutic targets for RA. Our results highlight the intricate interplay between immune-mediated cell death, gut microbiota, and systemic inflammation, emphasizing the importance of ferroptosis as a therapeutic target in mitigating RA progression.
Keywords: Ferroptosis; Gut microbiota; Inflammation; Metabolomics; PAD4; Rheumatoid arthritis.
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