Discovery Metabolomics by Using Targeted Assays and Commercial

Metabolomics provides insights into the metabolic landscape of diseases, including colorectal cancer (CRC). While untargeted metabolomics offers broad metabolic profiling, it lacks absolute metabolite quantification. This study combines targeted and untargeted metabolomics using commercial kits to identify and quantify CRC-associated metabolic changes in human serum.

Serum samples from ten Stage IV CRC subjects and ten healthy controls were analyzed using the Agilent Captiva EMR-Lipid and the Biocrates MxP Quant 500 XL kit. Untargeted metabolomics profiled over 1,500 metabolites using an Agilent 6546 LC/Q-TOF, while targeted analysis quantified 454 metabolites with an Agilent 6495D LC/TQ system. Statistical analyses revealed significant metabolic distinctions, with pathway enrichment highlighting alterations in amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and bile acid biosynthesis. Key findings included elevated cystine and reduced levels of TMAO, phosphoethanolamines, triglycerides, and bile acids in CRC samples. This integrated approach enhances our understanding of CRC-associated metabolic dysregulation and may contribute to biomarker discovery.

Presenter:   Kevin Cho (Staff Scientist, Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis)

Kevin Cho is the Director of Operations at the Center of Mass Spectrometry & Metabolic Tracing at Washington University in St. Louis, Director of Academic Operations at Panome Bio , and a Senior Research Scientist in the Patti lab. His research is dedicated to advancing mass spectrometry-based technologies and isotope-based metabolomics to enhance insights into human diseases, particularly cancer. By developing innovative analytical approaches, Dr. Cho aims to improve the sensitivity, precision, and throughput of metabolomics in biomedical research, facilitating new discoveries in disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.