Energy metabolism dysregulation in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: mechanisms and therapeutic implications

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are being increasingly recognized as disorders driven by profound disturbances in cellular energy metabolism rather than inflammation alone. Recent studies have highlighted mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and metabolic reprogramming across glucose, lipid, and amino acid pathways as central mechanisms linking energy metabolism dysregulation to sustained muscle injury. Defective mitophagy, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion, and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production create a self-amplifying loop with interferon-driven inflammation, whereas abnormal glycolysis, impaired fatty acid oxidation, and dysregulated tryptophan–kynurenine metabolism further shape the immunometabolic landscape of IIMs. These metabolic shifts not only contribute to muscle weakness and tissue degeneration but are also correlated with disease severity, autoantibody profiles, and treatment resistance. Emerging therapeutic strategies, including antioxidant approaches, mitochondrion-targeted agents, metabolic modulators, and exercise-based interventions, underscore the translational potential of targeting energy homeostasis. This review synthesizes current evidence on energy metabolism abnormalities in IIMs, integrates molecular findings with clinical implications, and highlights future directions for immunometabolic-based precision therapies.