title: Metabolite profiling for the identification of altered metabolic pathways in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry is the most frequent tool for metabolomic profiling of low molecular weight metabolites. Its suitability in health survey is beyond doubt, given that primary metabolites involved in central pathways of metabolism are usually altered in diseases. The objective of this work is to investigate metabolic differences in serum between Alzheimer's disease patients and healthy controls in order to elucidate pathological mechanisms underlying to disease. Alterations in levels of 23 metabolites were detected, including increased lactic acid, α-ketoglutarate, isocitric acid, glucose, oleic acid, adenosine and cholesterol, as well as decreased urea, valine, aspartic acid, pyroglutamate, glutamine, phenylalanine, asparagine, ornithine, pipecolic acid, histidine, tyrosine, palmitic and uric acid, tryptophan, stearic acid and cystine. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed the involvement of multiple affected pathways, such as energy deficiencies, oxidative stress, hyperammonemia, and others. Moreover, it is noteworthy that some of these compounds have not been previously described in AD research, such as α-ketoglutarate, isocitrate pipecolic acid, pyroglutamate and adenosine, confirming the potential of this metabolomic approach in the search of novel potential markers for early detection of Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and CC.MM, Faculty of Experimental Science, University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain; Campus of Excellence International ceiA3, University of Huelva, Spain; Research Center of Health and Environment (CYSMA), University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain. Electronic address: raul.gonzalez@dqcm.uhu.es.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González-Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and CC.MM, Faculty of Experimental Science, University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain; Campus of Excellence International ceiA3, University of Huelva, Spain; Research Center of Health and Environment (CYSMA), University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain. Electronic address: tamara.garcia@dqcm.uhu.es.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: García-Barrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and CC.MM, Faculty of Experimental Science, University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain; Campus of Excellence International ceiA3, University of Huelva, Spain; Research Center of Health and Environment (CYSMA), University of Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain. Electronic address: ariza@uhu.es.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gómez-Ariza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D022124:Hyperammonemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D055442:Metabolome / Q000502:physiology*; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Gas chromatography mass spectrometry; Metabolomic profiling; Pathology