Metabonomic Analysis of Metabolites Produced by Escherichia coli in Patients With and Without Sepsis

Abstract

Aim

To analyze the metabolites of the most common sepsis-related pathogen and their correlation with clinical indicators.

Methods

Information of bacterial-infection patients in Huzhou Central hospital was retrospectively investigated and analyzed. The most common pathogen inducing sepsis was selected. Then, the metabolic profiles of pathogens from blood were detected by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Cluster and classification analysis, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, multidimensional OPLS-DA, Z scores, correlation analysis were used to analyze the metabolites.

Results

Escherichia coli (E. coli) was the pathogen that caused the most infection (about 21%) and sepsis. Amino acids, peptides, terpene glycosides, carbohydrates were the main metabolites of E.coli and they were mainly digestive and endocrine-related compounds. Most of them were related to amino acids metabolism, cofactors and vitamins metabolism, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, et al. Moreover, metabolites were involved in purine metabolism, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, ABC transporters, etc. Then, over 70 differential metabolites such as tyramine, tryptophan, 3- hydroxymalondialdehyde were screened in E.coli from nonseptic and septic patients. They were mainly involved in phenylalanine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, protein digestion and absorption. Distribution of metabolites of E. coli from nonseptic and septic patients was obviously different. What is more, differential metabolites had evidently correlation with SOFA score, APPACHE II score, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte, platelet, aspartate aminotransferase, coagulation function, lactic acid (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The different metabolic profile of E. coli from nonseptic and septic patients indicated that differential metabolites might be associated with sepsis.

Keywords:

• sepsis
• Escherichia coli
• bacteria
• metabolomics
• LC/MS analysis

Data Sharing Statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study were included in this published article.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The clinical protocols involving the patients and the informed consent form were approved by the Ethics Committee of Huzhou Central Hospital (Ethical number 20191116-01).

Consent for Publication

All the authors listed approve the publication.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the patients for their contributions to the investigation of clinical data, blood collection.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Public Welfare Technology Application Research Program of Huzhou (No.2019GYB10) and Medical Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province (No.2023KY311).