Metabolomics Study Reveals the Alteration of Fatty Acid Oxidation in the Heart of Diabetic Mice by Empagliflozin

Assessment of cardiotoxicity induced by PFOS exposure and mechanism research via untarget metabolomics

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), widely used in various industrial and commercial materials, can accumulate in the human body due to its high environmental stability, and thus potentially has cardiotoxicity. We assess cardiotoxicity through rat exposure to PFOS by intraperitoneal injection. Untargeted metabolomic analysis was used to explore the potential cardiotoxicity mechanism of PFOS. In vivo, PFOS exposure increases pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-1β and decreases anti-inflammatory factors IL-10 and TGF-β. PFOS exposure causes pathological changes in cardiac tissue and increases cardiac injury markers brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum and triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and ox-LDL in plasma. Increased expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and CD36 indicates that PFOS exacerbates cardiac fibrosis. Untargeted metabolites analysis revealed 414 small molecule metabolites and 33 metabolites that differed after PFOS exposure, and identified 3 potential metabolic pathways. In conclusion, our study shows the inflammatory reactions involved in PFOS cardiotoxicity, and identifies potential pathways and differential metabolites involved in PFOS toxicity.

Therapeutic implications of dapagliflozin on the metabolomics profile of diabetic rats: A GC-MS investigation coupled with multivariate analysis

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disorder with systemic implications, necessitating the search for reliable biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the metabolomics profile alterations in diabetic rats, with a focus on the therapeutic effects of Dapagliflozin, a drug known to inhibit renal glucose reabsorption, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis.

METHODS

A GC-MS based metabolomics approach combined with multivariate and univariate statistical analyses was utilized to study serum samples from a diabetic model of Wistar rats, treated with dapagliflozin. Metabolomics pathways analysis was also performed to identify the altered metabolic pathways associated with the disease and the intervention.

RESULTS

Dapagliflozin treatment in diabetic rats resulted in normalized levels of metabolites associated with insulin resistance, notably branched-chain and aromatic amino acids. Improvements in glycine metabolism were observed, suggesting a modulatory role of the drug. Additionally, reduced palmitic acid levels indicated an alleviation of lipotoxic effects. The metabolic changes indicate a restorative effect of dapagliflozin on diabetes-induced metabolic perturbations.

CONCLUSIONS

The comprehensive metabolomics analysis demonstrated the potential of GC-MS in revealing significant metabolic pathway alterations due to dapagliflozin treatment in diabetic model rats. The therapy induced normalization of key metabolic disturbances, providing insights that could advance personalized diabetes mellitus management and therapeutic monitoring, highlighting the utility of metabolomics in understanding drug mechanisms and effects.

Serum Metabolomics Reveals Metabolomic Profile and Potential Biomarkers in Asthma

PURPOSE

Asthma is a highly heterogeneous disease. Metabolomics plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and development of asthma. The main aims of our study were to explore the underlying mechanism of asthma and to identify novel biomarkers through metabolomics approach.

METHODS

Serum samples from 102 asthmatic patients and 18 healthy controls were collected and analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) system. Multivariate analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to explore asthma-associated metabolomics profile and metabolites. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) was used for pathway enrichment analysis. Subsequently, 2 selected serum hub metabolites, myristoleic acid and dodecanoylcarnitine, were replicated in a validation cohort using ultra-high performance LC-MS/MS system (UHPLC-MS/MS).

RESULTS

Distinct metabolomics profile of asthma was revealed by multivariate analysis. Then, 116 overlapped asthma-associated metabolites between multivariate analysis and WGCNA, including 12 hub metabolites, were identified. Clinical features-associated hub metabolites were also identified by WGCNA. Among 116 asthma-associated metabolites, Sphingolipid metabolism and valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis were revealed by KEGG analysis. Furthermore, serum myristoleic acid and dodecanoylcarnitine were significantly higher in asthmatic patients than in healthy controls in validation cohort. Additionally, serum myristoleic acid and dodecanoylcarnitine demonstrated high sensitivities and specificities in predicting asthma.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, asthmatic patients showed a unique serum metabolome. Sphingolipid metabolism and valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis were involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Furthermore, our results suggest the promising values of serum myristoleic acid and dodecanoylcarnitine for asthma diagnosis in adults.

Exploring shared therapeutic targets in diabetic cardiomyopathy and diabetic foot ulcers through bioinformatics analysis

Advanced diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients are often accompanied by severe peripheral artery disease. For patients with DCM combined with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), there are currently no good therapeutic targets and drugs. Here, we investigated the underlying network of molecular actions associated with the occurrence of these two complications. The datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We performed enrichment and protein-protein interaction analyses, and screened for hub genes. Construct transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs regulatory networks for validated hub genes. Finally, drug prediction and molecular docking verification were performed. We identified 299 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs), many of which were involved in inflammation and lipid metabolism. 6 DEGs were identified as hub genes (PPARG, JUN, SLC2A1, CD4, SCARB1 and SERPINE1). These 6 hub genes were associated with inflammation and immune response. We identified 31 common TFs and 2 key miRNAs closely related to hub genes. Interestingly, our study suggested that fenofibrate, a lipid-lowering medication, holds promise as a potential treatment for DCM combined with DFU due to its stable binding to the identified hub genes. Here, we revealed a network involves a common target for DCM and DFU. Understanding these networks and hub genes is pivotal for advancing our comprehension of the multifaceted complications of diabetes and facilitating the development of future therapeutic interventions.

The role of microbial metabolites in diabetic kidney disease

Background

Growing evidence suggests a complex bidirectional interaction between gut microbes, gut-derived microbial metabolites, and diabetic kidney disease (DKD), known as the "gut-kidney axis" theory. The present study aimed to characterize the role of microbial metabolites in DKD.

Methods

Six-week-old db/db and littermate db/m mice were raised to 20 weeks old. The serum, urine, feces, liver, perinephric fat, and kidney were analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based metabolomic analyses.

Results

The db/db mice showed obvious pathological changes and worse renal functions than db/m mice. Indoleacetaldehyde (IAld) and 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan (5-HTP) in kidney samples, and serotonin (5-HT) in fecal samples were increased in the db/db group. Phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidate (PA), and 1-acylglycerophosphocholine (lysoPC) were decreased in liver and serum samples of the db/db group, while PC and lysoPC were decreased in kidney and perinephric fat samples. Suggested metabolomic homeostasis was disrupted in DKD mice, especially glycerophospholipid and tryptophan metabolism, which are closely related to the gut microbiome.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal the perturbation of gut microbial metabolism in db/db mice with DKD, which may be useful for building a bridge between the gut microbiota and the progression of DKD and provide a theoretical basis for the intestinal treatment of DKD.

Mapping the metabolic reprogramming induced by sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition

Diabetes is associated with increased risk for kidney disease, heart failure, and mortality. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) prevent these adverse outcomes; however, the mechanisms involved are not clear. We generated a roadmap of the metabolic alterations that occur in different organs in diabetes and in response to SGLT2i. In vivo metabolic labeling with 13C-glucose in normoglycemic and diabetic mice treated with or without dapagliflozin, followed by metabolomics and metabolic flux analyses, showed that, in diabetes, glycolysis and glucose oxidation are impaired in the kidney, liver, and heart. Treatment with dapagliflozin failed to rescue glycolysis. SGLT2 inhibition increased glucose oxidation in all organs; in the kidney, this was associated with modulation of the redox state. Diabetes was associated with altered methionine cycle metabolism, evident by decreased betaine and methionine levels, whereas treatment with SGLT2i increased hepatic betaine along with decreased homocysteine levels. mTORC1 activity was inhibited by SGLT2i along with stimulation of AMPK in both normoglycemic and diabetic animals, possibly explaining the protective effects against kidney, liver, and heart diseases. Collectively, our findings suggest that SGLT2i induces metabolic reprogramming orchestrated by AMPK-mTORC1 signaling with common and distinct effects in various tissues, with implications for diabetes and aging.

The Importance of SGLT-2 Inhibitors as Both the Prevention and the Treatment of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

According to the 2021 report of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there have been approximately 573 million cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among adults, which sets the disease as a major concern in healthcare worldwide. The development of T2DM is strongly promoted by unhealthy lifestyle factors associated with urbanization and western civilization. The disease is associated with a broad list of systemic complications that can result in premature death, disability and significantly reduced quality of life. The most dramatic in their consequences are cardiovascular complications of T2DM. Our work focuses on one such complication that is specific for diabetes, named diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC). In this condition cardiac dysfunction occurs despite the absence of underlying hypertension, coronary artery disease and valvular disease, which suggest a leading role for metabolic disturbances as a cause. We aimed to establish the role of relatively new hypoglycaemic drugs that have taken the medical world by storm with their broad pleiotropic effects-SGLT-2 inhibitors-in the prevention and treatment of DC at any stage.

New insights into cellular links between sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and ketogenesis

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are a newly developed class of highly effective antidiabetic therapies that normalize hyperglycemia via urinary glucose excretion. However, they may be accompanied by certain side effects that negatively impact their therapeutic benefits. SGLT2is induce a metabolic shift from glucose to fatty acids and thus increase lipolysis which, in turn, induces ketogenesis. The complete pathways linking SGLT2is to ketoacidosis have not yet been fully elucidated, though much is now known. Therefore, in this mechanistic study, we present the current knowledge and shed light upon the possible cellular pathways involved. A deeper understanding of the possible links between SGLT2is and ketogenesis could help to prevent adverse side effects in diabetic patients treated with these drugs.