Applications of Metabolomics to Understanding Obesity in Mouse and Man

Abstract

The functional genomic approach of metabolomics consists of the application of a global analytical tool to profile metabolism in a cell, tissue or organism. The most popular analytical tools include high-resolution ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Metabolomics is high throughput and relatively cheap on a per-sample basis and, hence, ideal for collecting large data sets. Biofluids are being used to follow the progression of obesity both in animal models and humans, while tissue extracts can be examined to probe the mechanisms responsible for these biofluid changes. Given these benefits and the results already produced in the field, metabolomics will play an increasing role in understanding the progression of obesity.

Keywords: :

• mass spectrometry
• metabolic profiling
• metabolic syndrome
• metabonomics
• nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Financial and competing interests disclosure

The authors have no 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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