Cell culture metabolomics in the diagnosis of lung cancer - The influence of cell culture conditions
- Authors: Kalluri, Usha , Naiker, Mani , Myers, Mark
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Breath Research Vol. 8, no. 2 (June 2014), p.
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- Description: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths. Unfortunately, lung cancer is often diagnosed only when it becomes symptomatic or at an advanced stage when few treatment options are available. Hence, a diagnostic test suitable for screening widespread populations is required to enable earlier diagnosis. Analysis of exhaled breath provides a non-invasive method for early detection of lung cancer. Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by various mass spectral techniques has identified potential biomarkers of disease. Nevertheless, the metabolic origins and the disease specificity of VOCs need further elucidation. Cell culture metabolomics can be used as a bottom-up approach to identify biomarkers of pathological conditions and can also be used to study the metabolic pathways that produce such compounds. This paper summarizes the current knowledge of lung cancer biomarkers in exhaled breath and emphasizes the critical role of cell culture conditions in determining the VOCs produced in vitro. Hypoxic culture conditions more closely mimic the conditions of cancer cell growth in vivo. We propose that since hypoxia influences cell metabolism and so potentially the VOCs that the cancer cells produce, the cell culture metabolomics projects should consider culturing cancer cells in hypoxic conditions.
Metabolic profiling and in vitro assessment of anthelmintic fractions of Picria fel-terrae Lour
- Authors: Kumarasingha, Rasika , Karpe, Avinash , Preston, Sarah , Yeo, Tiong-Chia , Lim, Diana , Tu, Chu-Lee , Luu, Jennii , Simpson, Kaylene , Shaw, Jillian , Gasser, Robin , Beale, David , Morrison, Paul , Palombo, Enzo , Boag, Peter
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance Vol. 6, no. 3 (2016), p. 171-178
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- Description: Anthelmintic resistance is widespread in gastrointestinal nematode populations, such that there is a consistent need to search for new anthelmintics. However, the cost of screening for new compounds is high and has a very low success rate. Using the knowledge of traditional healers from Borneo Rainforests (Sarawak, Malaysia), we have previously shown that some traditional medicinal plants are a rich source of potential new anthelmintic drug candidates. In this study, Picria fel-terrae Lour. plant extract, which has previously shown promising anthelmintic activities, was fractionated via the use of a solid phase extraction cartridge and each isolated fraction was then tested on free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. We found that a single fraction was enriched for nematocidal activity, killing ≥90% of C. elegans adults and inhibiting the motility of exsheathed L3 of H. contortus, while having minimal cytotoxic activity in mammalian cell culture. Metabolic profiling and chemometric analysis of the effective fraction indicated medium chained fatty acids and phenolic acids were highly represented. Image 1 •Chemical fractionation of Picria fel-terrae Lour. plant extract.•Anthelmintic activity against Caenorhabditis elegans and Haemonchus contortus.•Metabolic profiling and chemometric analysis of active fraction.•Active fraction has minimal mammalian cytotoxicity.
A review of analytical techniques and their application in disease diagnosis in breathomics and salivaomics research
- Authors: Beale, David , Jones, Oliver , Karpe, Avinash , Dayalan, Saravanan , Oh, Ding , Kouremenos, Konstantinos , Ahmed, Warish , Palombo, Enzo
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Molecular Sciences Vol. 18, no. 1 (2017), p. 1-26
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- Description: The application of metabolomics to biological samples has been a key focus in systems biology research, which is aimed at the development of rapid diagnostic methods and the creation of personalized medicine. More recently, there has been a strong focus towards this approach applied to non-invasively acquired samples, such as saliva and exhaled breath. The analysis of these biological samples, in conjunction with other sample types and traditional diagnostic tests, has resulted in faster and more reliable characterization of a range of health disorders and diseases. As the sampling process involved in collecting exhaled breath and saliva is non-intrusive as well as comparatively low-cost and uses a series of widely accepted methods, it provides researchers with easy access to the metabolites secreted by the human body. Owing to its accuracy and rapid nature, metabolomic analysis of saliva and breath (known as salivaomics and breathomics, respectively) is a rapidly growing field and has shown potential to be effective in detecting and diagnosing the early stages of numerous diseases and infections in preclinical studies. This review discusses the various collection and analyses methods currently applied in two of the least used non-invasive sample types in metabolomics, specifically their application in salivaomics and breathomics research. Some of the salient research completed in this field to date is also assessed and discussed in order to provide a basis to advocate their use and possible future scientific directions. © 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Profiling of faecal water and urine metabolites among Papua New Guinea highlanders believed to be adapted to low protein intake
- Authors: Tomitsuka, Eriko , Igai, Katsura , Tadokoro, Kiyoshi , Morita, Ayako , Baba, Jun , Suda, Wataru , Greenhill, Andrew , Horwood, Paul , Soli, Kevin , Siba, Peter , Odani, Shingo , Natsuhara, Kazumi , Morita, Hidetoshi , Umezaki, Masahiro
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Metabolomics Vol. 13, no. 9 (2017), p.
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- Description: Introduction: Adequate amount of proteins from foods are normally needed to maintain muscle mass of the human body. Although protein intakes of Papua New Guinea (PNG) highlanders are less than biologically adequate, protein deficiency related disorders have rarely been reported. It has been postulated that gut microbiota play a role in such low-protein-adaptation. Objective: To explore underlying biological mechanisms of low-protein adaptation among PNG highlanders by investigating metabolomic profiles of faecal water and urine. Methods: We performed metabolome analysis using faecal water extracted from faecal samples of PNG highlanders, PNG non-highlanders and Japanese subjects. We paid special attention to amino acids and other metabolites produced by gut microbiota, as well as to metabolites involved in nitrogen recycling in the human gut. Results: Our results indicated that amino acid levels were higher in faecal water from PNG highlanders than PNG non-highlanders, but amino acid levels did not differ between PNG highlanders and Japanese subjects. Among PNG highlander samples, amino acid levels tended to be higher in those who consumed less protein. Conclusion: We speculated that a greater proportion of urea was excreted to the intestine among the PNG highlanders than other groups, and that the urea was used for nitrogen salvage. Intestinal bacteria are essential for producing ammonia from urea and also for producing amino acids from ammonia, which is a key process in low-protein adaptation. Profiling the gut microbiota of PNG highlanders is an important avenue for further research into the mechanisms of low-protein adaptation.