Metabolomics-based methods for early disease diagnostics

Abstract

The emerging field of metabolomics, in which a large number of small-molecule metabolites from body fluids or tissues are detected quantitatively in a single step, promises immense potential for early diagnosis, therapy monitoring and for understanding the pathogenesis of many diseases. Metabolomics methods are mostly focused on the information-rich analytical techniques of NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). Analysis of the data from these high-resolution methods using advanced chemometric approaches provides a powerful platform for translational and clinical research and diagnostic applications. In this review, the current trends and recent advances in NMR- and MS-based metabolomics are described with a focus on the development of advanced NMR and MS methods, improved multivariate statistical data analysis and recent applications in the area of cancer, diabetes, inborn errors of metabolism and cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords::

• cancer
• coronary heart disease
• diabetes
• early detection
• inborn errors of metabolism
• mass spectrometry
• metabolomics
• metabonomics
• multivariate statistical analysis
• NMR spectroscopy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap Initiative on Metabolomics Technology, Grant NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) 3 R21/R33 DK070290-01, a Collaborative Biomedical Research Grant from Purdue University/Discovery Park, and a grant from the Walther Cancer Institute. Daniel Raftery reports holding equity and an executive role in Matrix-Bio, Inc.

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.