Analysis of serum metabolite profiles in syphilis patients by untargeted metabolomics

Omics detection and treatment of syphilis

Treponema pallidum is the source of the chronic systemic sexually transmitted illness syphilis. T. pallidum can evade immunity and spread. A hard chancre, enlarged lymph nodes, and a syphilis rash are the primary clinical signs. The condition may affect the nervous or cardiovascular system and even become fatal after being neglected. Omics technology is a cutting-edge technique that maps the entire regulatory network of gene and protein metabolism using high-throughput sequencing and other techniques, such as transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and genomics, to perform more efficient and methodical research on biological samples. Owing to the diverse and intricate biological roles and gene expression of T. pallidum, a single omics study is frequently insufficient and limited. This review focused on and summarized the use of several omics methods for investigating T. pallidum by referencing several different studies in the literature.

Resurgence of syphilis: focusing on emerging clinical strategies and preclinical models

Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum), has had a worldwide resurgence in recent years and remains a public health threat. As such, there has been a great deal of research into clinical strategies for the disease, including diagnostic biomarkers and possible strategies for treatment and prevention. Although serological testing remains the predominant laboratory diagnostic method for syphilis, it is worth noting that investigations pertaining to the DNA of T. pallidum, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), chemokines, and metabolites in peripheral blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and other bodily fluids have the potential to offer novel perspectives on the diagnosis of syphilis. In addition, the global spread of antibiotic resistance, such as macrolides and tetracyclines, has posed significant challenges for the treatment of syphilis. Fortunately, there is still no evidence of penicillin resistance. Hence, penicillin is the recommended course of treatment for syphilis, whereas doxycycline, tetracycline, ceftriaxone, and amoxicillin are viable alternative options. In recent years, efforts to discover a vaccine for syphilis have been reignited with better knowledge of the repertoire of T. pallidum outer membrane proteins (OMPs), which are the most probable syphilis vaccine candidates. However, research on therapeutic interventions and vaccine development for human subjects is limited due to practical and ethical considerations. Thus, the preclinical model is ideal for conducting research, and it plays an important role in clinical transformation. Different preclinical models have recently emerged, such as in vitro culture and mouse models, which will lay a solid foundation for clinical treatment and prevention of syphilis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent syphilis tactics, including detection, drug resistance treatments, vaccine development, and preclinical models in clinical practice.

Beneficial effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus hsryfm 1301 fermented milk on rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

A growing stream of research suggests that probiotic fermented milk has a good effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This work aimed to study the beneficial effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus hsryfm 1301 fermented milk (fermented milk) on rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease induced by a high-fat diet. The results showed that the body weight and the serum levels of total cholesterol, total glyceride, low-density lipoprotein, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, free fatty acid, and reactive oxygen species were significantly increased in rats fed a high-fat diet (M) for 8 wk, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and superoxide dismutase were significantly decreased. However, the body weight and the serum levels of total cholesterol, total glyceride, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, free fatty acid, reactive oxygen species, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 were significantly decreased with fermented milk (T) for 8 wk, and the number of fat vacuoles in hepatocytes was lower than that in the M group. There were significant differences in 19 metabolites in serum between the M group and the C group (administration of nonfermented milk) and in 17 metabolites between the T group and the M group. The contents of 7 different metabolites, glycine, glycerophosphocholine, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, thioetheramide-PC, d-aspartic acid, oleic acid, and l-glutamate, were significantly increased in the M group rat serum, and l-palmitoyl carnitine, N6-methyl-l-lysine, thymine, and 2-oxadipic acid were significantly decreased. In the T group rat serum, the contents of 8 different metabolites-1-O-(cis-9-octadecenyl)-2-O-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, acetylcarnitine, glycine, glycerophosphocholine, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, d-aspartic acid, oleic acid, and l-glutamate were significantly decreased, whereas creatinine and thymine were significantly increased. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that 50 metabolic pathways were enriched in the M/C group and T/M group rat serum, of which 12 metabolic pathways were significantly different, mainly distributed in lipid metabolism, amino acid, and endocrine system metabolic pathways. Fermented milk ameliorated inflammation, oxygenation, and hepatocyte injury by regulating lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolic pathways, and related metabolites in the serum of rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Possible effects of Treponema pallidum infection on human vascular endothelial cells

Pathogens can affect host cells in various ways, and the same effect can be found in the Treponema pallidum acting on the endothelium of host vessels, and the mechanism is often complex and multiple. Based on the existing T. pallidum of a cognitive framework, the first concerns involving T. pallidum or the bacteria protein directly acted on vascular endothelial cells of the host, the second concerns mainly involved in the process of T. pallidum infection in vivo blood lipid change, secretion of cytokines and the interactions between immune cells indirectly. Through both direct and indirect influence, this study explores the role of host by T. pallidum infect in the process of the vascular endothelium.

Comprehensive Analysis of Serum Metabolites Profiles in Acute Radiation Enteritis Rats by Untargeted Metabolomics

Acute radiation enteritis is a common complication occurring in patients with pelvic and abdominal tumors who receive radiotherapy. Acute radiation enteritis seriously reduces the life quality, even threatens the lives of patients. Untargeted metabolomics is an emerging strategy to explore the novel biomarkers and uncover potential pathogenesis of acute radiation enteritis. Acute radiation enteritis rat model was established by single abdominal irradiation with a gamma-ray dose of 10 Gy. Serum from 15 acute radiation enteritis rats and 10 controls was extracted for metabolomics analysis by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Clinical manifestations and morphological alterations of intestine confirmed the successful establishment of acute radiation enteritis. According to the metabolomics data, 6,044 positive peaks and 4,241 negative peaks were extracted from each specimen. OPLS-DA analysis and the heat map for cluster analysis showed satisfactory discriminatory power between acute radiation enteritis rats and controls. Subsequent analysis extracted 66 significantly differentially expressed metabolites, which might be potential biomarkers for acute radiation enteritis diagnosis. Moreover, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses uncovered the potential mechanisms through which differentially expressed metabolites participated in acute radiation enteritis pathogenesis. To sum up, we summarized several differentially expressed serum metabolites as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of acute radiation enteritis and provide latent clues for elucidating acute radiation enteritis pathology.

Identification of three novel pathogenic mutations in sarcomere genes associated with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy based on multi-omics study

BACKGROUND

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death, but exhibits heterogeneous clinical features. A major research focus is to identify specific ultrasonic phenotypes, and causal gene mutations, as well as to elucidate the possible metabolic pathogenic effects in familial HCM through multi-omics study.

METHODS

Nine members of two familial HCM pedigrees were enrolled in this study. Their clinical data were collected, and the data of multiparameter ultrasound, whole-exome sequencing, and untargeted metabolomics were analyzed.

RESULTS

We identified three novel pathogenic sarcomere gene mutations, TNNT2-rs397516484, MYH6-rs372446459 and MYBPC3-rs786204339 in two familial HCM pedigrees. The proband of Family 1 and his father carried TNNT2-rs397516484 and MYH6-rs372446459 missense mutations, while the proband of Family 2 and her brother carried MYBPC3-rs786204339 frameshift mutation. They presented with heart failure and abnormal electrocardiogram, accompanied by diastolic and systolic dysfunction and impaired myocardial work. They also showed disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism, including the citrate cycle (TCA cycle), glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, fructose and mannose metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Novel TNNT2-rs397516484, MYH6-rs372446459, and MYBPC3-rs786204339 are pathogenic sarcomere gene mutations in familial HCM, leading to decreased cardiac function and metabolic disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism, which have important implications for biologically defined diagnoses and precision medicine.

Molecular Characterization Based on MLST and ECDC Typing Schemes and Antibiotic Resistance Analyses of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum in Xiamen, China

In total, 49 clinical samples were analyzed using two typing schemes, Enhanced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST), to describe the molecular characteristics of circulating Treponema pallidum isolates in Xiamen between 2016 and 2017. In addition, genetic mutations potentially related to antibiotic resistance of T. pallidum were also analyzed. Forty five samples were fully typed by ECDC, and 14 different subtypes were detected. The most common subtype was 16d/f (24.4%), followed by 14d/f (20.0%). All forty nine samples were successfully typed by MLST, while only four allelic profiles were identified, including three SS14-like profiles and one Nichols-like profile. Among them, the major allelic profile was 1.1.8 (85.7%). Interestingly, the allelic profile 1.3.1 widespread in Europe and North America was not detected in this region. Additionally, A2058G mutation in 23S rRNA was found in all detectable samples (38/38), and no mutation in 16S rRNA was observed (36/36). Four non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in penicillin-binding protein genes were found in the 35 samples eligible for Sanger sequencing. Among them, the variant in tp0500 (P564I) can only be found in the SS14-like isolates. Homoplastic changes in tp0760 (I415F/I415M) and tp0705 (A506V/A506T) were found. Moreover, the variant tp0705 A506V and the variant tp0705 A506T separately appeared in the SS14-like isolates and Nichols-like isolates, respectively. This study showed that the genotypes of T. pallidum isolates in Xiamen between 2016 and 2017 were different from those in other geographic areas. The resistance-related variants of T. pallidum isolates identified in this study could provide awareness for clinicians in the treatment of syphilis.

Structural characterization and transcript-metabolite correlation network of immunostimulatory effects of sulfated polysaccharides from green alga Ulva pertusa

Three water-soluble polysaccharides (UPPs 1-3) were obtained from edible green alga Ulva pertusa. The chemico-physical analyses indicated that UPPs 1-3 possessed molecular weights of 376.7 kDa, 57.21 kDa, and 131.13 kDa, with sulfate contents of 26.01 ± 8.13%, 9.86 ± 3.24%, and 13.32 ± 6.56%, respectively, and composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid, and mannuronic acid, with different ratios. The in vitro studies revealed that UPP-1 showed significant effects on the proliferation and phagocytic activity of macrophage, release of nitric oxide, and secretion of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). The transcript-metabolite analysis of UPP-1 treated macrophage revealed 4747 differential genes (2416 up-regulated and 2331 down-regulated) and 94 differential metabolites (77 up-regulated and 17 down-regulated) that significantly co-mapped a transcript-metabolite correlation network of biosynthesis of amino acids, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and carbon metabolism. Thus, these findings provide a valuable foundation for the potential application of U. pertusa polysaccharides.

Urinary metabolomic investigations in vitiligo patients

Urinary metabolomics is a useful non-invasive tool for large-scale screening of disease-related metabolites. However, no comprehensive urinary metabolomic analysis of vitiligo is presently available. To investigate the urine metabolic pattern of vitiligo patients, we conducted a combined cross-sectional and prospective self-control cohort study and an untargeted urinary metabolomic analysis. In the cross-sectional study, 295 vitiligo patients and 192 age‐ and sex‐matched controls were enrolled, and 71 differential metabolites between two groups were identified. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, biopterin metabolism, vitamin B9 (folate) metabolism, selenoamino acid metabolism, and methionine and cysteine metabolism showed significant enrichment in vitiligo patients compared with the status in healthy controls. In the self-control cohort, 46 active vitiligo patients were recruited to analyse the urinary metabolic signatures after treatment. All of these patients were asked to undertake follow-up visits every 2 months three times after first consulting and the disease stage was evaluated compared with that at the last visit. Folate metabolism, linoleate metabolism, leukotriene metabolism, alkaloid biosynthesis, and tyrosine metabolism were predicted to be involved in vitiligo activity. Our study is the first attempt to reveal urinary metabolic signatures of vitiligo patients and provides new insights into the metabolic mechanisms of vitiligo.

Metabolomic characterization of semen from asthenozoospermic patients using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Asthenozoospermia (AS) is a common factor of male infertility, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differential seminal plasma metabolic pattern in asthenozoospermic men and to identify potential biomarkers in relation to spermatogenic dysfunction using sensitive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadruple time-of-flight MS (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). The samples of seminal plasma from patients with AS (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 20) were checked and differentiated by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Compared with the control group, the AS group showed a total of nine significantly different metabolites, including increases in creatinine, uric acid, N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A), uridine, and taurine and decreases in carnitine, nicotinamide, N-acetylputrescine and l-palmitoylcarnitine. By analyzing the correlation among these metabolites and clinical computer-assisted semen analysis reports, we found that m6 A is significantly correlated with not only the four decreased metabolites but also with sperm count, motility, and curvilinear velocity. Furthermore, nicotinamide was shown to correlate with other identified metabolites, indicating its important role in the metabolic pathway of AS. Current results implied that sensitive untargeted seminal plasma metabolomics could identify distinct metabolic patterns of AS and would help clinicians by offering novel cues for discovering the pathogenesis of male infertility.

Recombinant Treponema pallidum protein Tp0136 promotes fibroblast migration by modulating MCP-1/CCR2 through TLR4

BACKGROUND

Chancre self-healing is an important clinical feature in the early stages of syphilis infection. Wound healing may involve an important mechanism by the migration of fibroblasts filling the injured lesion. However, the specific mechanism underlying this process is still unknown.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to analyse the role of Tp0136 in the migration of fibroblasts and the related mechanism.

METHODS

The migration ability of fibroblasts was detected by a wound-healing assay. RT-PCR and ELISA detected the expression of MCP-1, IL-6 and MMP-9. TLR4 expression was detected by RT-PCR. The protein levels of CCR2 and relevant signalling pathway molecules were measured by Western blotting.

RESULTS

Tp0136 significantly promoted fibroblast migration. Subsequently, the levels of MCP-1 and its receptor CCR2 were increased in this process. The migration of fibroblasts was significantly inhibited by an anti-MCP-1 neutralizing antibody or CCR2 inhibitors. Furthermore, studies demonstrated that Tp0136 could activate the ERK/JNK/PI3K/NF-κB signalling pathways through TLR4 activity and that signalling pathways inhibitors could weaken MCP-1 secretion and fibroblast migration.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that Tp0136 promotes the migration of fibroblasts by inducing MCP-1/CCR2 expression through signalling involving the TLR4, ERK, JNK, PI3K and NF-κB signalling pathways, which could contribute to the mechanism of chancre self-healing in syphilis.

Metabolomics study of serum and urine samples reveals metabolic pathways and biomarkers associated with pelvic organ prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common medical condition among women and involves complicated diagnostics and controversial surgical management. The exact molecular mechanism underlying POP is poorly understood, especially at the metabolism level. To explore the metabolic mechanism underlying POP and discover potential biomarkers for POP diagnosis, we applied a non-targeted metabolomics approach using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Metabolomics study of serum samples from patients with POP (n = 24) and controls (n = 22) revealed a total of 59 metabolites that are significantly different (VIP ≥ 1 and p ≤ 0.05) between the two groups. Between urine samples from POP patients (n = 45) and controls (n = 59), 33 metabolites differed significantly (VIP ≥ 1 and p ≤ 0.05). Metabolic pathways affected by these differentially expressed metabolites were analyzed. In both serum and urine samples, three pathways including arginine biosynthesis and purine metabolism were found to be significantly related to POP. Six metabolites including GPC, 1-methyladenosine, maleic acid, L-pyroglutamic acid, inosine, and citrate are significantly changed (VIP ≥ 1 and p ≤ 0.05) in both serum and urine samples from patients with POP. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis showed that using these six metabolites as a biomarker could distinguish patients with POP from controls with good accuracy in both serum (AUC = 1) and urine samples (AUC = 0.854). Collectively, these results further extended our understanding of key regulatory metabolic pathways involved in the pathophysiology of POP, as well as provided some promising biomarkers for effective POP diagnosis.