Stratification of Atherosclerosis based on Plasma Metabolic States

CONTEXT

Atherosclerosis is a dominant cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction and stroke.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate metabolic states that are associated with the development of atherosclerosis.

METHODS

Cross-sectional cohort study at a university hospital in the Netherlands. A total of 302 adult subjects with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2 were included. We integrated plasma metabolomics with clinical metadata to quantify the "atherogenic state" of each individual, providing a continuous spectrum of atherogenic states that ranges between nonatherogenic states to highly atherogenic states.

RESULTS

Analysis of groups of individuals with different clinical conditions-such as metabolically healthy individuals with obesity, and individuals with metabolic syndrome-confirmed the generalizability of this spectrum; revealed a wide variation of atherogenic states within each condition; and allowed identification of metabolites that are associated with the atherogenic state regardless of the particular condition, such as gamma-glutamyl-glutamic acid and homovanillic acid sulfate. The analysis further highlighted metabolic pathways such as catabolism of phenylalanine and tyrosine and biosynthesis of estrogens and phenylpropanoids. Using validation cohorts, we confirmed variation in atherogenic states in healthy subjects (before atherosclerosis plaques become visible), and showed that metabolites associated with the atherogenic state were also associated with future CVD.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide a global view of atherosclerosis risk states using plasma metabolomics.

Effects of electroacupuncture on intestinal microflora and plasma metabolites in an insulin-resistant mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 on intestinal microflora and plasma metabolites in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for the clinical treatment of T2DM by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

METHODS

Sixteen T2DM db/db mice were randomly divided into treatment (T, n = 8) and model (M, n = 8) groups, and a further eight normal db/m+ mice reared under the same conditions served as a non-diabetic control group (C, n = 8). The general conditions of mice were observed weekly. After obtaining blood and stool samples, the mice were euthanized. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was measured using a glucometer and fasting insulin (FINS) was measured in plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Liver and colon tissues were embedded in paraffin and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining to observe pathological changes in these tissues. In addition, 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing was performed to analyze changes in the intestinal flora and metabolomics was employed to assess changes in metabolites in the blood.

RESULTS

EA significantly reduced FBG and FINS levels and alleviated pathological damage to the liver and colon. Furthermore, EA increased intestinal community richness and diversity by decreasing the relative abundance of Clostridium and incresasing the relative abundance of Lactobacillus. EA also reduced D-fructose levels in T2DM mice according to plasma metabolomics.

CONCLUSION

EA has a positive regulatory effect on the intestinal flora and can regulate blood glucose and improve insulin resistance in T2DM model mice.

Subchronic toxicity evaluation of Huobahuagen extract and plasma metabolic profiling analysis combined with conventional pathology methods

Huobahua, namely, Tripterygium hypoglaucum (Levl.) Hutch, known as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, especially its underground parts, has been widely developed into several Tripterygium agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. It has sparked wide public concern about its safety, such as multi-organ toxicity. However, the toxic characteristics and damage mechanism of Huobahuagen extract (HBHGE) remain unclear. In the present study, subchronic oral toxicity study of HBHGE (10.0 g crude drug/kg/day for 12 weeks) was performed in male rats. Hematological, serum biochemical, and histopathological parameters, urinalysis, and plasma metabolic profiling were assessed. The single-dose subchronic toxicity results related to HBHGE exhibited obvious toxicity to the testis and epididymis of male rats. Furthermore, plasma metabolomics analysis suggested that a series of metabolic disorders were induced by oral administration of HBHGE, mainly focusing on amino acid (glutamate, phenylalanine, and tryptophan) metabolisms, pyrimidine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Moreover, it appeared that serum testosterone in male rats treated with HBHGE for 12 weeks, decreased significantly, and was susceptible to the toxic effects of HBHGE. Taken together, conventional pathology and plasma metabolomics for preliminarily exploring subchronic toxicity and underlying mechanism can provide useful information about the reduction of toxic risks from HBHGE and new insights into the development of detoxification preparations.

Cross-sectional analysis of healthy individuals across decades: Aging signatures across multiple physiological compartments

The study of age-related biomarkers from different biofluids and tissues within the same individual might provide a more comprehensive understanding of age-related changes within and between compartments as these changes are likely highly interconnected. Understanding age-related differences by compartments may shed light on the mechanism of their reciprocal interactions, which may contribute to the phenotypic manifestations of aging. To study such possible interactions, we carried out a targeted metabolomic analysis of plasma, skeletal muscle, and urine collected from healthy participants, age 22-92 years, and identified 92, 34, and 35 age-associated metabolites, respectively. The metabolic pathways that were identified across compartments included inflammation and cellular senescence, microbial metabolism, mitochondrial health, sphingolipid metabolism, lysosomal membrane permeabilization, vascular aging, and kidney function.

Cross-sectional network analysis of plasma proteins/metabolites correlated with pathogenesis and therapeutic response in acute promyelocytic leukemia

The treatment of PML/RARA+ acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with all-trans-retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide (ATRA/ATO) has been recognized as a model for translational medicine research. Though an altered microenvironment is a general cancer hallmark, how APL blasts shape their plasma composition is poorly understood. Here, we reported a cross-sectional correlation network to interpret multilayered datasets on clinical parameters, proteomes, and metabolomes of paired plasma samples from patients with APL before or after ATRA/ATO induction therapy. Our study revealed the two prominent features of the APL plasma, suggesting a possible involvement of APL blasts in modulating plasma composition. One was characterized by altered secretory protein and metabolite profiles correlating with heightened proliferation and energy consumption in APL blasts, and the other featured APL plasma-enriched proteins or enzymes catalyzing plasma-altered metabolites that were potential trans-regulatory targets of PML/RARA. Furthermore, results indicated heightened interferon-gamma signaling characterizing a tumor-suppressing function of the immune system at the first hematological complete remission stage, which likely resulted from therapy-induced cell death or senescence and ensuing supraphysiological levels of intracellular proteins. Overall, our work sheds new light on the pathophysiology and treatment of APL and provides an information-rich reference data cohort for the exploratory and translational study of leukemia microenvironment.

Synergistic mechanism of processing method for Qixue Shuangbu prescription in the treatment of chronic heart failure based on plasma metabolomics-Systematic bioinformatics

Previous clinical studies have found that the efficacy of processed Qixue Shuangbu Prescription has been significantly improved in the treatment of chronic heart failure. However, the absorbed constituents and synergistic mechanisms of processed Qixue Shuangbu Prescription to enhance the therapeutic effect of chronic heart failure remain unclear. In this study, we propose an integrated strategy combining plasma metabolomics, network pharmacology, and molecular docking to study the absorbed constituents and synergistic mechanisms of processed Qixue Shuangbu Prescription. A total of 34 prototype constituents and 24 metabolites were identified in rat plasma after administration of crude and processed Qixue Shuangbu Prescription. As a result, six potential absorbed constituents and six potential targets for the treatment of chronic heart failure were identified. In addition, the result of molecular docking indicated that the key constituents exhibited good affinity to hub targets. This study showed that the multiomics approach could effectively clarify absorbed constituents and synergistic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine processing from a new perspective.

Comparison of Growth Performance and Plasma Metabolomics between Two Sire-Breeds of Pigs in China

The Yorkshire pigs, renowned for their remarkable growth rate, low feed conversion ratio (FCR), and high meat production, emerge as a novel preference for paternal breeding. In this study, we found that purebred paternal Yorkshire pigs (PY) surpass the purebred Duroc breed in terms of growth rate. Specifically, purebred PY attain a weight of 100 kg at an earlier age compared to purebred Duroc (Male, 145.07 vs. 162.91; Female, 145.91 vs. 167.57; p-value < 0.01). Furthermore, different hybrid combinations suggest that offspring involving purebred PY exhibit superior growth performance. Compared with purebred Duroc, the offspring of purebred PY have an earlier age in days (173.23 vs. 183.54; p-value < 0.05) at the same slaughter weight. The changes of plasma metabolites of 60-day-old purebred boars in the two sire-breeds showed that 1335 metabolites in plasma were detected. Compared with Duroc, 28 metabolites were down-regulated and 49 metabolites were up-regulated in PY. Principal component analysis (PCA) discerned notable dissimilarities in plasma metabolites between the two sire-breeds of pigs. The levels of glycerol 3-phosphate choline, cytidine, guanine, and arachidonic acid increased significantly (p-value < 0.05), exerting an impact on their growth and development. According to our results, PY could be a new paternal option as a terminal sire in three-way cross system.

Serum acylcarnitines levels as a potential predictor for gestational diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aims

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) stands as a prevalent obstetric complication bearing consequential health implications for both mother and child. While existing studies have probed the alterations in acylcarnitines during GDM, an updated systematic meta-analysis is needed to consolidate these findings. Hence, this study endeavours to furnish a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis delineating the association between acylcarnitines and GDM, aimed at bolstering diagnostic accuracy and preventive measures against GDM.

Methods

To extract pertinent studies for this meta-analysis, we meticulously scoured databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library up until May 2023. The inclusion criteria were studies contrasting plasma metabolomics between two cohorts: women diagnosed with GDM and normoglycemic pregnant women. Weighted mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. The I² index was employed to quantify heterogeneity amongst the studies. All meta-analyses were executed using Stata version 12.0.

Results

Our meta-analysis included eight studies encompassing 878 pregnant women. The analysis disclosed that relative to normoglycemic pregnant women, women with GDM exhibited significantly elevated levels of Short-Chain Acylcarnitines (SCAC) (SMD: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.02-0.36, I² = 71.3%). No substantial difference was discerned in fasting total carnitine levels (SMD: 0.15, 95% CI: -0.16-0.31, I² = 68.2%), medium-chain acylcarnitines (MCAC) (SMD: 0.08, 95% CI: -0.02-0.36, I² = 79.0%), and long-chain acylcarnitines (LCAC) (SMD: 0.04, 95% CI: -0.06-0.15, I² = 0%). Neither funnel plot assessment nor Egger's regression and Begg's rank correlation tests indicated any evidence of publication bias.

Conclusion

Our meta-analysis suggests that elevated levels of SCAC may heighten the risk of GDM onset. Given GDM's deleterious impact on pregnant women and their offspring, these findings underscore the clinical imperative of managing this condition. Early surveillance of plasma metabolomic profiles, particularly serum acylcarnitine concentrations, may equip clinicians with a valuable tool for timely diagnosis and intervention in GDM.

Human blood plasma biomarkers of diet and weight loss among centrally obese subjects in a New Nordic Diet intervention

Scope

The New Nordic Diet (NND) has been shown to promote weight loss and lower blood pressure amongst obese people. This study investigates blood plasma metabolite and lipoprotein biomarkers differentiating subjects who followed Average Danish Diet (ADD) or NND. The study also evaluates how the individual response to the diet is reflected in the metabolic differences between NND subjects who lost or maintained their pre-intervention weight.

Methods

Centrally obese Danes (BMI >25) followed NND (90 subjects) or ADD (56 subjects) for 6 months. Fasting blood plasma samples, collected at three time-points during the intervention, were screened for metabolites and lipoproteins (LPs) using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In total, 154 metabolites and 65 lipoproteins were analysed.

Results

The NND showed a relatively small but significant effect on the plasma metabolome and lipoprotein profiles, with explained variations ranging from 0.6% for lipoproteins to 4.8% for metabolites. A total of 38 metabolites and 11 lipoproteins were found to be affected by the NND. The primary biomarkers differentiating the two diets were found to be HDL-1 cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, phospholipids, and ketone bodies (3-hydroxybutyric acid, acetone, and acetoacetic acid). The increased levels of ketone bodies detected in the NND group inversely associated with the decrease in diastolic blood pressure of the NND subjects. The study also showed that body weight loss among the NND subjects was weakly associated with plasma levels of citrate.

Conclusion

The main plasma metabolites associated with NND were acetate, methanol and 3-hydroxybutyrate. The metabolic changes associated with the NND-driven weight loss are mostly pronounced in energy and lipid metabolism.

Plasma Metabolomics Predicts Chemotherapy Response in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest cancers. Developing biomarkers for chemotherapeutic response prediction is crucial for improving the dismal prognosis of advanced-PC patients (pts). To evaluate the potential of plasma metabolites as predictors of the response to chemotherapy for PC patients, we analyzed plasma metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry from 31 cachectic, advanced-PC subjects enrolled into the PANCAX-1 (NCT02400398) prospective trial to receive a jejunal tube peptide-based diet for 12 weeks and who were planned for palliative chemotherapy. Overall, there were statistically significant differences in the levels of intermediates of multiple metabolic pathways in pts with a partial response (PR)/stable disease (SD) vs. progressive disease (PD) to chemotherapy. When stratified by the chemotherapy regimen, PD after 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy (e.g., FOLFIRINOX) was associated with decreased levels of amino acids (AAs). For gemcitabine-based chemotherapy (e.g., gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel), PD was associated with increased levels of intermediates of glycolysis, the TCA cycle, nucleoside synthesis, and bile acid metabolism. These results demonstrate the feasibility of plasma metabolomics in a prospective cohort of advanced-PC patients for assessing the effect of enteral feeding as their primary source of nutrition. Metabolic signatures unique to FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel may be predictive of a patient's response and warrant further study.

Microbiome and metabolome reveal the metabolic and microbial variations induced by depression and constipation

BACKGROUND

Depressed patients are often accompanied with constipation symptoms, and vice versa. However, the underlying mechanisms of such a bidirectional correlation have remained elusive. We aim to reveal the possible correlations between depression and constipation from the perspectives of gut microbiome and plasma metabolome.

METHODS

We constructed the depressed model and the constipated model of rats, respectively. First, we measured the locomotor activity status and the gastrointestinal functions of rats. And then, nuclear magnetic resonance plasma metabolomics was applied to reveal the shared and the unique metabolites of depression and constipation. In addition, 16 S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was used to detect the impacts of constipation and depression on gut microbiota of rats. Finally, a multiscale and multifactorial network, that is, the 'phenotypes - differential metabolites - microbial biomarkers' integrated network, was constructed to visualise the mechanisms of connections between depression and constipation.

RESULTS

We found that spontaneous locomotor activity and gastrointestinal functions of both depressed rats and constipated rats significantly decreased. Further, eight metabolites and 14 metabolites were associated depression and constipation, respectively. Among them, seven metabolites and four metabolic pathways were shared by constipation and depression, mainly perturbing energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Additionally, depression and constipation significantly disordered the functions and the compositions of gut microbiota of rats, and decreased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes.

CONCLUSION

The current findings provide multiscale and multifactorial perspectives for understanding the correlations between depression and constipation, and demonstrate new mechanisms of comorbidity of depression and constipation.

Effects of Different Dietary Protein Level on Growth Performance, Rumen Fermentation Characteristics and Plasma Metabolomics Profile of Growing Yak in the Cold Season

This experiment was aimed to compare the effects of two diets with different protein content on the growth performance, immune indexes, rumen fermentation characteristics and plasma metabolomics of growing yak in the cold season. A total of 24, 2-year-old healthy yaks with similar body weight (142.9 ± 3.56 kg) were randomly allocated to two isoenergetic diets with different protein content (10 vs 14%) according to a non-paired experimental design, and the protein of the diets was increased by increasing soybean meal, rapeseed meal and cottonseed meal. The growth performance experiment lasted 56 days. Four days before the end of the growth experiment, the digestion trial was conducted, and the rumen fluid and plasma was collected for measurement. The results showed that the average daily feed intake (p < 0.001) and average daily gain (p = 0.006) of yak fed a high-protein diet was significantly greater, while the feed conversion ratio was lower (p = 0.021) than that of yaks fed a low-protein diet. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.002), alanine aminotransferase (p < 0.001), malondialdehyde (p = 0.001), tumor necrosis factor-α (p = 0.032) and interferon-γ (p = 0.017) of the high-protein group were significantly lesser, whereas superoxide dismutase (p = 0.004) and interleukin-2 (p = 0.007) was significantly greater than that of the low-protein group. The rumen microbial crude protein (p < 0.047) and crude protein digestibility (p = 0.015) of yak fed a high-protein diet was significantly greater than that of the low-protein group. The metabolomics results showed that yaks fed a high-protein diet were elevated in protein digestion and absorption, arginine and proline metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, purine metabolism, butanoate metabolism, taste transduction, pyrimidine metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism and renin secretion pathways. It is concluded that a high-protein diet in the cold season can promote rumen microbial crude protein synthesis, enhance antioxidant and immune function and promote growth performance of yaks.

Metabolomics and Lipidomics Signatures of Insulin Resistance and Abdominal Fat Depots in People Living with Obesity

The liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue are major insulin target tissues and key players in glucose homeostasis. We and others have described diverse insulin resistance (IR) phenotypes in people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is postulated that identifying the IR phenotype in a patient may guide the treatment or the prevention strategy for better health outcomes in populations at risk. Here, we performed plasma metabolomics and lipidomics in a cohort of men and women living with obesity not complicated by diabetes (mean [SD] BMI 36.0 [4.5] kg/m2, n = 62) to identify plasma signatures of metabolites and lipids that align with phenotypes of IR (muscle, liver, or adipose tissue) and abdominal fat depots. We used 2-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with deuterated glucose, oral glucose tolerance test, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging to assess muscle-, liver- and adipose tissue- IR, beta cell function, body composition, abdominal fat distribution and liver fat, respectively. Spearman’s rank correlation analyses that passed the Benjamini−Hochberg statistical correction revealed that cytidine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, anandamide, and citrate corresponded uniquely with muscle IR, tryptophan, cAMP and phosphocholine corresponded uniquely with liver IR and phenylpyruvate and hydroxy-isocaproic acid corresponded uniquely with adipose tissue IR (p < 7.2 × 10−4). Plasma cholesteryl sulfate (p = 0.00029) and guanidinoacetic acid (p = 0.0001) differentiated between visceral and subcutaneous adiposity, while homogentisate correlated uniquely with liver fat (p = 0.00035). Our findings may help identify diverse insulin resistance and adiposity phenotypes and enable targeted treatments in people living with obesity.

Plasma metabolomic analysis reveals the therapeutic effects of Jiashen tablets on heart failure

Background

Heart failure is a chronic progressive condition that significantly affects the quality of life of patients with high hospitalization and mortality rates. Jiashen tablets (JST), a Chinese herbal formula, have been reported to be an effective treatment against heart failure, however the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. This study was designed to determine the effect of JST on the treatment of heart failure and delineate the underlying mechanisms by an untargeted metabolomics approach.

Materials and methods

The chronic heart failure model was established by the permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in rats. The cardiac functions of rats, including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and fractional shortening (LVFS), left ventricular internal diameter end diastole (LVIDd) and end systole (LVIDs), and interventricular septum thickness in diastole (IVSd) and in systole (IVSs), were measured by echocardiography. Biochemical analysis and histopathological examination were also performed to evaluate therapeutic effects of JST for treating heart failure. UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS coupled with multivariate statistical analyses were applied for plasma metabolic profiling to identify biomarkers and potential mechanisms of JST in the treatment of heart failure.

Results

Jiashen tablets could improve the cardiac function of heart failure rats and thus ameliorate heart failure via enhancing rat LVEF and LVFS and decreasing LVIDd, LVIDs, IVSd, and IVSs. Results of biochemical analysis and histopathological examination revealed that JST could reduce the serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and the level of NT-pro BNP, markers of heart failure and myocardial damage, and inhibit myocardial fibrosis. Furthermore, in metabolomics analysis, a total of 210 metabolites with significant differences were identified between heart failure rats and normal rats, among which 29 metabolites were significantly restored after JST treatment. These metabolites were primarily involved in tryptophan metabolism, branched-chain amino acid metabolism, fatty acids β-oxidation, and glycerophospholipid metabolism.

Conclusion

The present study illustrated the therapeutic effect of JST for the treatment of heart failure and delineated the underlying mechanisms mainly relating to the regulation of amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism in heart failure rats.

Metabolomic exploration of the effects of habituation to livestock trailer and extended transportation in goats

Goats raised for meat production are often transported long distances. Twelve-month-old male Spanish goats were used to determine the effects of habituation to trailers on plasma metabolomic profiles when transported for extended periods. In a split-plot design, 168 goats were separated into two treatment (TRT; whole plot) groups and maintained on two different paddocks. Concentrate supplement was fed to one group inside two livestock trailers (habituated group, H), while the other group received the same quantity of concentrate, but not inside the trailers (non-habituated, NH). Goats were subjected to a 10-h transportation stress in 4 replicates (n = 21 goats/replicate/TRT) after 4 weeks of habituation period. Blood samples were collected prior to loading, 20 min after loading (0 h), and at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 h of transportation (Time; subplot). A targeted quantitative metabolomics approach was employed to analyze the samples. The data were analyzed using R software and MIXED procedures in SAS. Several amino acids (alanine, serine, glycine, histidine, glutamate, trans-hydroxyproline, asparagine, threonine, methylhistidine, ornithine, proline, leucine, tryptophan) were higher (p < 0.05) in the H group compared to the NH group. Six long-chain acylcarnitines were higher (p < 0.05), while free (C0) and short-chain (C3, C5) carnitines were lower (p < 0.05) in the NH goats compared to the H goats. In general, amino acid concentrations decreased and long-chain acylcarnitine (>C10) levels increased with transportation time (p < 0.05). Butyric acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, and α-aminoadipic acid concentrations were lower (p < 0.05) and β-hydroxybutyric acid concentrations were higher in the NH goats compared to the H goats. Plasma glucose, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and urea nitrogen concentrations were significantly influenced by Time (p < 0.01). Plasma NEFA concentrations were significantly lower (p < 0.01) in the H group than the NH group. Habituation to trailers can be beneficial in enhancing stress coping abilities in goats due to higher concentrations of metabolites such as butyrate and certain amino acids that support antioxidant activities and immune function. Plasma long-chain acylcarnitines may be good indicators of stress during long-distance transportation in goats.

The Beneficial Effect of Cinnamon and Red Capsicum Intake on Postprandial Changes in Plasma Metabolites Evoked by a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Men with Overweight/Obesity

The relationship of high-carbohydrate (HC) meal intake to metabolic syndrome is still not fully explained. Metabolomics has the potential to indicate metabolic pathways altered by HC meals, which may improve our knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which HC meals may contribute to metabolic syndrome development. The fasting and postprandial metabolic response to HC or normo-carbohydrate (NC) meals with/without cinnamon + capsicum intake was evaluated using untargeted metabolomics and compared between normal-weight (NW) and overweight/obese (OW/OB) healthy men. Healthy male participants (age-matched) were divided into two groups (12 subjects per group). One was composed of men with normal weight (NW) and the other of men with overweight/obesity (OW/OB). On separate visits (with 2-3 week intervals), the participants received standardized HC or NC meals (89% or 45% carbohydrates, respectively). Fasting (0 min) and postprandial (30, 60, 120, 180 min) blood were collected for untargeted plasma metabolomics. Based on each metabolic feature's intensity change in time, the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Obtained AUCs were analyzed using multivariate statistics. Several metabolic pathways were found dysregulated after an HC meal in people from the OW/OB group but not the NW group. The consumption of HC meals by people with overweight/obesity led to a substantial increase in AUC, mainly for metabolites belonging to phospholipids and fatty acid amides. The opposite was observed for selected sphingolipids. The intake of cinnamon and capsicum normalized the concentration of selected altered metabolites induced by the intake of HC meals. A HC meal may induce an unfavourable postprandial metabolic response in individuals with overweight/obesity, and such persons should avoid HC meals.

Association of Metabolic Signatures with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Pediatric Population

Several adult omics studies have been conducted to understand the pathophysiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the histological features of children are different from those of adults, and the onset and progression of pediatric NAFLD are not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the metabolome profile and metabolic pathway changes associated with pediatric NAFLD to elucidate its pathophysiology and to develop machine learning-based NAFLD diagnostic models. We analyzed the metabolic profiles of healthy control, lean NAFLD, overweight control, and overweight NAFLD groups of children and adolescent participants (N = 165) by assessing plasma samples. Additionally, we constructed diagnostic models by applying three machine learning methods (ElasticNet, random forest, and XGBoost) and multiple logistic regression by using NAFLD-specific metabolic features, genetic variants, and clinical data. We identified 18 NAFLD-specific metabolic features and metabolic changes in lipid, glutathione-related amino acid, and branched-chain amino acid metabolism by comparing the control and NAFLD groups in the overweight pediatric population. Additionally, we successfully developed and cross-validated diagnostic models that showed excellent diagnostic performance (ElasticNet and random forest model: area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.95). Metabolome changes in the plasma of pediatric patients with NAFLD are associated with the pathophysiology of the disease and can be utilized as a less-invasive approach to diagnosing the disease.

Convergent and Divergent Age Patterning of Gut Microbiota Diversity in Humans and Nonhuman Primates

The gut microbiome has significant effects on healthy aging and aging-related diseases, whether in humans or nonhuman primates. However, little is known about the divergence and convergence of gut microbial diversity between humans and nonhuman primates during aging, which limits their applicability for studying the gut microbiome's role in human health and aging. Here, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis for captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and compared this data set with other freely available gut microbial data sets containing four human populations (Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and British) and two nonhuman primates (wild lemurs [Lemur catta] and wild chimpanzees [Pan troglodytes]). Based on the consistent V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, beta diversity analysis suggested significantly separated gut microbial communities associated with host backgrounds of seven host groups, but within each group, significant gut microbial divergences were observed, and indicator bacterial genera were identified as associated with aging. We further discovered six common anti-inflammatory gut bacteria (Prevotellamassilia, Prevotella, Gemmiger, Coprococcus, Faecalibacterium, and Roseburia) that had butyrate-producing potentials suggested by pangenomic analysis and that showed similar dynamic changes in at least two selected host groups during aging, independent of distinct host backgrounds. Finally, we found striking age-related changes in 66 plasma metabolites in macaques. Two highly changed metabolites, hydroxyproline and leucine, enriched in adult macaques were significantly and positively correlated with Prevotella and Prevotellamassilia. Furthermore, genus-level pangenome analysis suggested that those six common indicator bacteria can synthesize leucine and arginine as hydroxyproline and proline precursors in both humans and macaques. IMPORTANCE This study provides the first comprehensive investigation of age patterning of gut microbiota of four human populations and three nonhuman primates and found that Prevotellamassilia, Prevotella, Gemmiger, Coprococcus, Faecalibacterium, and Roseburia may be common antiaging microbial markers in both humans and nonhuman primates due to their potential metabolic capabilities for host health benefits. Our results also provide key support for using macaques as animal models in studies of the gut microbiome's role during human aging.

Multi-Omics Analysis of the Microbiome and Metabolome Reveals the Relationship Between the Gut Microbiota and Wooden Breast Myopathy in Broilers

Wooden breast (WB) is a widely prevalent myopathy in broiler chickens. However, the role of the gut microbiota in this myopathy remains largely unknown, in particular the regulatory effect of gut microbiota in the modulation of muscle metabolism. Totally, 300 1-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were raised until 49 days and euthanized, and the breast filets were classified as normal (NORM), mild (MILD), or severe wooden breast (SEV). Birds with WB comprised 27.02% of the individuals. Severe WB filets had a greater L* value, a* value, and dripping loss but a lower pH (P < 0.05). WB filets had abundant myofiber fragmentation, with a lower average myofiber caliber and more fibers with a diameter of <20 μm (P < 0.05). The diversity of the intestinal microflora was decreased in birds with severe WB, with decreases in Chao 1, and observed species indices. At the phylum level, birds with severe WB had a lower Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (P = 0.098) and a decreased abundance of Verrucomicrobia (P < 0.05). At the species level, gut microbiota were positively correlated with 131 digesta metabolites in pathways of glutamine and glutamate metabolism and arginine biosynthesis but were negatively correlated with 30 metabolites in the pathway of tyrosine metabolism. In plasma, WB induced five differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs), including anserine and choline, which were related to the severity of the WB lesion. The microbial-derived metabolites, including guanidoacetic acid, antiarol, and (2E)-decenoyl-ACP, which entered into plasma were related to meat quality traits and myofiber traits. In summary, WB filets differed in gut microbiota, digesta, and plasma metabolites. Gut microbiota respond to the wooden breast myopathy by driving dynamic changes in digesta metabolites that eventually enter the plasma.

Plasma Metabolite Profiles of Red Meat, Poultry, and Fish Consumption, and Their Associations with Colorectal Cancer Risk

BACKGROUND

Red and processed meat consumption has been consistently associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the association for fish intake is unclear. Evidence using objective dietary assessment approaches to evaluate these associations is sparse.

OBJECTIVES

We aim to investigate the plasma metabolite profiles related to red meat, poultry, and fish consumption and examine their associations with CRC risk.

METHODS

We measured plasma metabolites among 5269 participants from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), NHSII, and Health Professionals Follow-Up study (HPFS). We calculated partial Spearman correlations between each metabolite and self-reported intake of seven red meat, poultry, and fish groups. Metabolite profile scores correlated to self-reported dietary intakes were developed using elastic net regression. Associations between self-reported intakes, metabolite profile scores, and subsequent CRC risk were further evaluated using conditional logistic regression among 559 matched (1:1) case-control pairs in NHS/HPFS and replicated among 266 pairs in Women's Health Study.

RESULTS

Plasma metabolites, especially highly unsaturated lipids, were differentially associated with red meat and fish groups. Metabolite profile scores for each food group were significantly correlated with the corresponding self-reported dietary intake. A higher dietary intake of processed red meat was associated with a higher risk of CRC (pooled OR per 1 SD, 1.15; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.29). In contrast, higher metabolite profile scores for all fish groups, not dietary intakes, were consistently associated with a lower CRC risk: the pooled OR per 1 SD was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.96) for total fish, 0.86 (95% CI: 0.77, 0.96) for dark meat fish, and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.97) for canned tuna fish. No significant associations were found for other food groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Red meat and fish intake exhibited systematically different plasma metabolite profiles. Plasma metabolite profile of fish intake was inversely associated with CRC risk.

Plasma Metabolomic Changes in Children with Cerebral Palsy Exposed to Botulinum Neurotoxin

The long-term effect of botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) on children with cerebral palsy (CP) is unclear, and how the dynamic changes of metabolites impact the duration of effect remains unknown. To tackle this, we collected 120 plasma samples from 91 children with spastic CP for analysis, with 30 samples in each time point: prior to injection and 1, 3, and 6 months after injection. A total of 354 metabolites were identified across all the time points, 39 of which exhibited significant changes (with tentative IDs) (p values <0.05, VIP > 1). Principal component analysis and partial least-squares discriminant analysis disclosed a clear separation between different groups (p values <0.05). Network analysis revealed the coordinated changes of functional metabolites. Pathway analysis highlighted the metabolic pathways associated with energy consumption and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism and cysteine and methionine metabolism. Collectively, our results identified the significant dynamic changes of plasma metabolite after BoNT-A injections on children with CP. Metabolic pathways associated with energy expenditure might provide a new perspective for the effect of BoNT-A in children with CP. Glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism and cysteine and methionine metabolism might be related to the duration of effect of BoNT-A.

Up-Regulation of Specific Bioactive Lipids in Celiac Disease

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy linked to alterations of metabolism. Currently, limited untargeted metabolomic studies evaluating differences in the plasma metabolome of CD subjects have been documented. We engage in a metabolomic study that analyzes plasma metabolome in 17 children with CD treated with a gluten-free diet and 17 healthy control siblings in order to recognize potential changes in metabolic networks. Our data demonstrates the persistence of metabolic defects in CD subjects in spite of the dietary treatment, affecting a minor but significant fraction (around 4%, 209 out of 4893 molecular features) of the analyzed plasma metabolome. The affected molecular species are mainly, but not exclusively, lipid species with a particular affectation of steroids and derivatives (indicating an adrenal gland affectation), glycerophospholipids (to highlight phosphatidic acid), glycerolipids (with a special affectation of diacylglycerols), and fatty acyls (eicosanoids). Our findings are suggestive of an activation of the diacylglycerol-phosphatidic acid signaling pathway in CD that may potentially have detrimental effects via activation of several targets including protein kinases such as mTOR, which could be the basis of the morbidity and mortality connected with untreated CD. However, more studies are necessary to validate this idea regarding CD.

Explore the effects of Shidan granules on chronic atrophic gastritis using LC-MS based plasma metabolomics study

Shidan granule (SDG), a traditional Chinese medicine in-hospital preparation, has been demonstrated to exert good effects on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) in clinics. However, the underlying mechanism of SDG against CAG is still unclear. This study utilized an untargeted plasma metabolomics approach to explore the potential mechanism of SDG in CAG rats using LC-MS and pattern recognition analysis. The results indicated that SDG could effectively improve the biochemical indexes and pathology features of CAG rats. Nineteen potential biomarkers (variable importance in projection > 1 and P < 0.05) contributing to CAG progress were identified. After SDG intervention, 17 biomarkers were obviously restored to normal levels. Further metabolic pathway analysis showed that aspartate and glutamate metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and TCA cycle were the most related pathways for SDG treatment. Based on these findings, the main mechanisms of SDG against CAG might be attributed to the regulatory effects of energy balance, inflammatory suppression, and improvement in disturbed amino acid and lipid metabolism. This study provided information for the mechanism research of SDG against CAG and would promote its clinical application.

Studies on effect of Tongfengxiaofang in HUM model mice using a UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS metabolomic approach

Hyperuricemia (HUM) is a major risk factor for the development of gout. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) complex prescription Tongfengxiaofang (TFXF) is composed of a variety of TCMs. To study the therapeutic effect of TFXF on HUM mice and the mechanisms by which it exerts a therapeutic effect, the biochemical indices were measured and qPCR technique was used. In addition, plasma metabolomics analysis was carried out based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS to evaluate the characteristics of the metabolic spectrum changes. TFXF significantly downregulated the contents of uric acid, urea nitrogen and creatinine in serum and the concentration of xanthine oxidase in liver of HUM mice. In addition, TFXF significantly inhibited the overexpression of uric acid transporter 1 and glucose transporter 9 and upregulated the expression of organic anion transporter 1 in the kidney. A total of 152 metabolites were identified and 11 key biomarkers were further selected from these pathways to understand the mechanism of TFXF on the arginine biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and the citrate cycle (TCA cycle). The results of this confirmed the effect of TFXF on HUM and revealed the metabolic activity mechanism.

Urinary Medium-Chained Acyl-Carnitines Sign High Caloric Intake whereas Short-Chained Acyl-Carnitines Sign High -Protein Diet within a High-Fat, Hypercaloric Diet in a Randomized Crossover Design Dietary Trial

The western dietary pattern is known for its frequent meals rich in saturated fat and protein, resulting in a postprandial state for a large part of the day. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism in response to high (HP) or normal (NP) protein, high-fat hypercaloric diet and to identify early biomarkers of protein intake and hepatic lipid accumulation. In a crossover design, 17 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to consume a HP or NP hypercaloric diet for two weeks. In parallel, a control group (CD; n = 10) consumed a weight-maintaining control diet. Biomarkers of postprandial lipid and glucose metabolism were measured in 24 h urine and in plasma before and following a meal challenge. The metabolic profile of urine but not plasma, showed increased excretion of ¹³C, carnitine and short chain acyl-carnitines after adaptation to the HP diet. Urinary excretion of decatrienoylcarnitine and octenoylcarnitine increased after adaptation to the NP diet. Our results suggest that the higher excretion of short-chain urinary acyl-carnitines could facilitate the elimination of excess fat of the HP diet and thereby reduce hepatic fat accumulation previously reported, whereas the higher excretion medium-chains acyl-carnitine could be early biomarkers of hepatic lipid accumulation.

Plasma Metabolomics Reveals Metabolic Profiling For Diabetic Retinopathy and Disease Progression

BACKGROUNDS

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), the main retinal vascular complication of DM, is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness among working-age people worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of plasma metabolic profiles in patients with DR to better understand the mechanism of this disease and disease progression.

METHODS

We used ultrahigh-performance liquid Q-Exactive mass spectrometry and multivariate statistical analyses to conduct a comprehensive analysis of plasma metabolites in a population with DR and proliferative DR (PDR). A risk score based on the level of the selected metabolite was established and evaluated using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regularization logistic regression (LASSO-LR) based machine learning model.

RESULTS

22 differentially expressed metabolites which belonged to different metabolic pathway were identified and confirmed to be associated with the occurrence of DR. A risk score based on the level of the selected metabolite pseudouridine was established and evaluated to strongly associated with the occurrence of DR. Four circulating plasma metabolites (pseudouridine, glutamate, leucylleucine and N-acetyltryptophan) were identified to be differentially expressed between patients with PDR and other patients, and a risk score formula based on these plasma metabolites was developed and assessed to be significantly related to PDR.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work highlights the possible use of the risk score assessment based on the plasma metabolites not only reveal in the early diagnosis of DR and PDR but also assist in enhancing current therapeutic strategies in the clinic.

Longitudinal metabolic alterations in plasma of rats exposed to low doses of high linear energy transfer radiation

Astronauts embarking on deep space missions are at high risk of long-term exposure to low doses of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, which can contribute to the development of cancer and multiple degenerative diseases. However, long term effects of exposure to low doses of high LET radiation in plasma metabolite profiles have not been elucidated. We utilized an untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics approach to analyze plasma obtained from adult male Long Evans rats to determine the longitudinal effects of low-dose proton and low-dose oxygen ion whole-body irradiation on metabolic pathways. Our findings reveal that radiation exposure induced modest changes in the metabolic profiles in plasma, 7 months after exposure. Furthermore, we identified some common metabolite dysregulations between protons and oxygen ions, which may indicate a similar mechanism of action for both radiation types.

Ultrahigh-Resolution Mass Spectrometry-Based Platform for Plasma Metabolomics Applied to Type 2 Diabetes Research

Metabolomics-the endpoint of the omics cascade-is increasingly recognized as a preferred method for understanding the ultimate responses of biological systems to stress. Flow injection electrospray (FIE) mass spectrometry (MS) has advantages for untargeted metabolic fingerprinting due to its simplicity and capability for high-throughput screening but requires a high-resolution mass spectrometer to resolve metabolite features. In this study, we developed and validated a high-throughput and highly reproducible metabolomics platform integrating FIE with ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) MS for analysis of both polar and nonpolar metabolite features from plasma samples. FIE-FTICR MS enables high-throughput detection of hundreds of metabolite features in a single mass spectrum without a front-end separation step. Using plasma samples from genetically identical obese mice with or without type 2 diabetes (T2D), we validated the intra and intersample reproducibility of our method and its robustness for simultaneously detecting alterations in both polar and nonpolar metabolite features. Only 5 min is needed to acquire an ultra-high resolution mass spectrum in either a positive or negative ionization mode. Approximately 1000 metabolic features were reproducibly detected and annotated in each mouse plasma group. For significantly altered and highly abundant metabolite features, targeted tandem MS (MS/MS) analyses can be applied to confirm their identity. With this integrated platform, we successfully detected over 300 statistically significant metabolic features in T2D mouse plasma as compared to controls and identified new T2D biomarker candidates. This FIE-FTICR MS-based method is of high throughput and highly reproducible with great promise for metabolomics studies toward a better understanding and diagnosis of human diseases.

Identification of Plasma Lipidome Changes Associated with Low Dose Space-Type Radiation Exposure in a Murine Model

Long-term exposures to low dose space radiation may have adverse effects on human health during missions in deep space. Conventional dosimetry, monitoring of prodromal symptoms, and peripheral lymphocyte counts are of limited value as biomarkers of organ- and tissue-specific radiation injury, particularly of injuries that appear weeks or months after radiation exposure. To assess the feasibility of using plasma metabolic and lipidomic profiles as biomarkers of injury from space radiation, we used a mouse model of exposure to low doses of oxygen ions (¹⁶O) and protons (¹H). Plasma profiles were compared with those of mice exposed to γ-rays as a reference set. Our results demonstrate major changes in glycerophospholipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, as well as fatty acid metabolism. We also observed dyslipidemia and lipid peroxidation, suggesting an inflammatory phenotype with possible long-term consequences to overall health upon exposure to low doses of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation.

Phocea, Pseudoflavonifractor and Lactobacillus intestinalis: Three Potential Biomarkers of Gut Microbiota That Affect Progression and Complications of Obesity-Induced Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the difference and association between intestinal microbiota and plasma metabolomics between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and normal group and to identify potential microbiota biomarkers that contribute the most to the difference in metabolites.

METHODS

Six male ZDF model (fa/fa) rats were fed by a Purina #5008 Lab Diet (crude protein 23.5%, crude fat 6.5%) for 3 weeks and their age-matched 6 ZDF control (fa/+) rats were fed by normal rodent diet. Their stool and blood samples were collected at 12 weeks. To analyze the microbial populations in these samples, we used a 16S rRNA gene sequencing approach. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) followed by multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the plasma metabolites profiling. Correlation analysis of them was calculated by Pearson statistical method.

RESULTS

Twelve potential biomarkers of intestinal microbial flora and 357 differential metabolites were found in ZDF fa/fa rats, among which there are three flora that contributed the most to the perturbation of metabolites, including genus Phocea, Pseudoflavonifractor and species Lactobacillus intestinalis.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates the alterations of the abundance and diversity of the intestinal microbiota and the perturbation of metabolites in ZDF rats (fa/fa). We found three potential biomarkers of intestinal microbiota that may lead to perturbation in plasma metabolites. This may prompt new pathogenesis of obesity-related T2DM, but we also need to study further about the causal relationship between intestinal microbe and T2DM, so as to find the target of T2DM treatment or preventive measures.

Metabolomics and 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Analyses of Changes in the Intestinal Flora and Biomarkers Induced by Gastrodia-Uncaria Treatment in a Rat Model of Chronic Migraine

Accumulating evidence suggests that natural medicines have notable curative effects on neurological conditions, such as migraine, that are mediated by regulating the gut microbial flora. A natural medicine pair used in traditional Chinese medicine, Gastrodia elata Blume and Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Miq. ex Havil. (GU), have shown excellent effect in treating migraine, yet the role of gut microbes in the therapeutic effect of GU in chronic migraine (CMG) is unknown. Here, we performed a 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics study of the effects of GU in a nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced rat model of CMG. Our results showed that the gut microbial community structure changed significantly and was similar to that of control rats after GU administration in CMG rats. Specifically, GU increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides and Coprococcus and reduced the abundance of Prevotella_1 and Escherichia-Shigella in CMG rats. The metabolomics profiles of the plasma and ileum contents of CMG rats obtained with an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS) revealed similar biomarkers in both samples, and GU treatment reduced 3-indoxyl sulfate, glutamic acid, L-tyrosine, and L-arginine levels, and increased 5-HIAA, L-tryptophan, and linoleic acid levels in plasma. Correlation analysis showed that the affected bacteria were closely related to amino acid metabolism. Most importantly, GU treatment hardly affected biomarkers in feces samples after inhibiting the activity of gut microbes. Collectively, these findings indicate that structural changes in gut flora are closely related to host metabolism and that regulating the gut microbial community structure and function may be one of the important mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of GU in migraine.

Impact of a High Protein Intake on the Plasma Metabolome in Elderly Males: 10 Week Randomized Dietary Intervention

High protein diets may improve the maintenance of skeletal muscle mass in the elderly, although it remains less clear what broader impact such diets have on whole body metabolic regulation in the elderly. Non-targeted polar metabolomics analysis using HILIC HPLC-MS was used to profile the circulating plasma metabolome of elderly men (n = 31; 74.7 ± 4.0 years) who were randomized to consume for 10 weeks a diet designed to achieve either protein (RDA; 0.8·g⁻¹·kg⁻¹) or that doubled this recommend intake (2RDA; 1.6.g.kg⁻¹). A limited number of plasma metabolites (n = 24) were significantly differentially regulated by the diet. These included markers of protein anabolism, which increased by the 2RDA diet, including; urea, creatine, and glutarylcarnitine. Whilst in response to the RDA diet; glutamine, glutamic acid, and proline were increased, relative to the 2RDA diet (p < 0.05). Metaboanalyst identified six major metabolic pathways to be influenced by the quantity of protein intake, most notably the arginine and proline pathways. Doubling of the recommended protein intake in older males over 10 weeks exerted only a limited impact on circulating metabolites, as determined by LC-MS. This metabolomic response was almost entirely due to increased circulating abundances of metabolites potentially indicative of altered protein anabolism, without evidence of impact on pathways for metabolic health.

Trial Registration: This trial was registered on 3rd March 2016 at the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (www.anzctr.org.au) at ACTRN 12616000310460.

Characteristics of the gut microbiota colonization, inflammatory profile, and plasma metabolome in intrauterine growth restricted piglets during the first 12 hours after birth

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) predisposes newborns to inflammatory and metabolic disturbance. Disequilibrium of gut microbiota in early life has been implicated in the incidence of inflammation and metabolic diseases in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the difference in gut microbiota colonization, cytokines and plasma metabolome between IUGR and normal birth weight (NBW) piglets in early life. At birth, reduced (P < 0.05) body, jejunum, and ileum weights, as well as decreased (P < 0.05) small intestinal villi and increased (P < 0.05) ileal crypt depth were observed in IUGR piglets compared with their NBW counterparts. Imbalanced inflammatory and plasma metabolome profile was observed in IUGR piglets. Furthermore, altered metabolites were mainly involved in fatty acid metabolism and inflammatory response. At 12 h after birth and after suckling colostrum, reduced (P < 0.05) postnatal growth and the small intestinal maturation retardation (P < 0.05) continued in IUGR piglets in comparison with those in NBW littermates. Besides, the gut microbiota structure was significantly altered by IUGR. Importantly, the disruption of the inflammatory profile and metabolic status mainly involved the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IFN-γ) and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, spearman correlation analysis showed that the increased abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and decreased abundance of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 in IUGR piglets was closely associated with the alterations of slaughter weight, intestinal morphology, inflammatory cytokines, and plasma metabolites. Collectively, IUGR significantly impairs small intestine structure, modifies gut microbiota colonization, and disturbs inflammatory and metabolic profiles during the first 12 h after birth. The unbalanced gut microbiota mediated by IUGR contributes to the development of inflammation and metabolic diseases.

Prognostic biomarkers of cervical squamous cell carcinoma identified via plasma metabolomics

Cervical cancer is the second most common female malignancy worldwide. The metabolic profile of plasma associated with the prognosis of cervical cancer remains poorly understood. In this cross-sectional study, plasma samples were collected from three groups of patients with CSCC, namely primary patients before treatment (BT group), patients with a poor prognosis (PP group, including patients with distant metastasis and local recurrence), and patients with a good prognosis within two years after the first treatment (GP group). The plasma metabolomics was conducted to detect the dynamic changes of metabolites via ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Multivariate analyses, including principle component, partial least square-discriminant, and orthogonal projection to latent structure-discriminant analyses, were performed to compare each pair of the three groups. The differential metabolites were identified by comparison of the exact m/z values and mass spectrometry (MS)/MS spectra with the structural information of the metabolites obtained from the Human Metabolome Database (http://www.hmdb.ca/) and LIPID MAPS (http://www.lipidmaps.org/). To screen for potential markers, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the differential metabolites. Finally, thirty plasma samples were collected from each group. Multivariate analyses showed that 31 metabolites were significantly different among the 3 groups studied. Of those, the 5 metabolites phosphatidyl choline (15:0/16:0), phosphatidyl glycerol (12:0/13:0), actosylceramide (d18:1/16:0), D-Maltose, and phthalic acid, with an area under the curve above 0.75, were identified as potential biomarkers. The present findings provide evidence for biomarkers to monitor prognosis of patients with CSCC, which may help in better managing the disease.

Mechanism of Curcuma wenyujin Rhizoma on Acute Blood Stasis in Rats Based on a UPLC-Q/TOF-MS Metabolomics and Network Approach

Rhizome of Curcuma wenyujin, which is called EZhu in China, is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat blood stasis for many years. However, the underlying mechanism of EZhu is not clear at present. In this study, plasma metabolomics combined with network pharmacology were used to elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of EZhu in blood stasis from a metabolic perspective. The results showed that 26 potential metabolite markers of acute blood stasis were screened, and the levels were all reversed to different degrees by EZhu preadministration. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that the improvement of blood stasis by Curcuma wenyujin rhizome was mainly related to lipid metabolism (linoleic acid metabolism, ether lipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism) and amino acid metabolisms (tryptophan metabolism, lysine degradation). The component-target-pathway network showed that 68 target proteins were associated with 21 chemical components in EZhu. Five metabolic pathways of the network, including linoleic acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis, were consistent with plasma metabolomics results. In conclusion, plasma metabolomics combined with network pharmacology can be helpful to clarify the mechanism of EZhu in improving blood stasis and to provide a literature basis for further research on the therapeutic mechanism of EZhu in clinical practice.

Metabolomics of postprandial plasma alterations: a comprehensive Japanese study

While endogenous metabolites in plasma can be used as clinical biomarkers, intra-day variations should be carefully considered. The postprandial effect is a large contributing factor and is dependent on regional features (e.g. meals, ethnicity). Thus, for clinical application, regional-specific postprandial baseline data are required. In this study, 10 healthy Japanese volunteers of different ages and genders ate the same meal, and blood samples were taken 30 min before and 1 h after the meal challenge. Plasma metabolomics was conducted and metabolites that significantly changed with the meal challenge were extracted. Principal component analysis of the data from 1101 metabolites showed a postprandial shift with a common direction despite marked individual variation. Pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated known postprandial effects, including the energy utilization shift from lipolysis to glycolysis and the elevation of bile acids for lipid absorption. Other postprandial metabolic changes were observed, including decreases in orexigenic signals and increases of food-derived components. The postprandial alteration accumulated in this study will be used for the understanding of Japanese clinical metabolomics for health promotion in Japan.