Probing gender-specific lipid metabolites and diagnostic biomarkers for lung cancer using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.
BACKGROUND
There are no effective clinical biomarkers for early and specific detection of lung cancer (LC). The changes in the levels of some serum metabolites of LC patients are associated with patient gender and LC stages.


METHODS
Serum metabolites of the LC patients (n=58) and healthy controls (n=495) were performed using direct-infusion positive ion electrospray ionization-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry in combination with univariate and partial least squares discriminant analyses (PLS-DA).


RESULTS
Univariate analysis indicated that 141 of the 212 serum metabolites were significantly changed in the LC patients compared with healthy controls. PLS-DA model, based on the 141 metabolites, demonstrated the differential metabolite distribution in single-sex LC patients compared with the corresponding healthy controls, and also in LC females compared with LC males. Several lipids comprising fatty acid derivations, sphingomyelin (SM) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) were associated with the LC progression. Classification using oleamide, long chain acyl carnitines, LPC(18:1), LPC(20:4), LPC(20:3), LPC(22:6), and SM(16:0/1) as a biomarker panel resulted in remarkable separation between the LC patients and healthy controls with sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 91%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The serum metabolites found in this study may play essential roles in gender-specific LC detection and early diagnosis of cancer.
Department of Biophysics and Structural Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China.
Yumei
Y
Guo
Xianmin
X
Wang
Ling
L
Qiu
Xuzhen
X
Qin
Hui
H
Liu
Yanying
Y
Wang
Fang
F
Li
Xiaodong
X
Wang
Guoqiang
G
Chen
Gaoguang
G
Song
Fenjie
F
Li
Shuai
S
Guo
Zhili
Z
Li
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D017357:Cyclotrons; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D013109:Sphingomyelins