The Proteomics and Fibromyalgia: A Perspective on the Study of the Inflammatory Response in Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic, non-degenerative disease characterized by widespread and sustained pain, sleep disturbances, physical exhaustion, and cognitive difficulties. The FM pathophysiology has not been completely clarified, and several theories have been postulated, among which is the dysregulation of the inflammatory response as a mediator of the painful phenomenon. In addition, it has been reported that FM patients present a rise of IL-6 and IL-8 serum levels; this fact has clinical relevance since these inflammatory molecules induce symptoms such as pain, fatigue, hyperalgesia, and allodynia. Additionally, some studies have been carried out on the participation of leukocytes in the physiopathology of fibromyalgia; The evidence suggests that mast cells are the most relevant leukocytes in the pathophysiology of FM since they promote the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to stimuli such as substance P or corticotropin-releasing hormone, which were elevated in patients. The number of FM patients is increasing year after year around the world. For this reason, it is essential to study the proteins involved in the inflammatory response in fibromyalgia. Proteomic analysis techniques such as tandem mass tag (TMT) with isobaric labeling offer a hope to find biological markers that allow the study simultaneously the participation of multiple inflammatory proteins in FM patients, allowing the identification of biomarkers. Thus, the use of isobaric tagging will allow shortly to expand the knowledge of pathophysiology in fibromyalgia, helping to identify biomarkers to improve the diagnosis of the FM disease and increase the quality of life of patients and their families.