title: Metabolomic and proteomic analysis of serum from preterm infants with necrotising entercolitis and late-onset sepsis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) are the leading causes of death among preterm infants in the developed world. This study aimed to explore the serum proteome and metabolome longitudinally in preterm infants with NEC or LOS, matched to controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients (10 cases, 9 controls) were included. A sample 14 d prior to and following, as well as at disease diagnosis, was included for cases. Controls had serum matched at diagnosis for corresponding case. All samples (n = 39) underwent shotgun proteomic analysis, and 37 samples also underwent metabolomics analysis using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proteomic and metabolomic profiles of serum were comparable between all infants. Eight proteins were associated with NEC and four proteins were associated with LOS. C-reactive protein was increased in all NEC patients at diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No single protein or metabolite was detected in all NEC or LOS cases which was absent from controls; however, several proteins were identified which were associated with disease status. The differing expression of these proteins between diseased infants potentially relates to differing pathophysiology of disease. Thus, it is unlikely a single biomarker exists for NEC and/or LOS.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Newcastle University Protein and Proteome Analysis, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Treumann
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Neonatal Service, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skeath
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Neonatal Service, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Embleton
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Neonatal Service, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Berrington
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D055442:Metabolome; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D020543:Proteome