title: Time is ripe: maturation of metabolomics in chronobiology.
abstract: Sleep and circadian rhythms studies have recently benefited from metabolomics analyses, uncovering new connections between chronobiology and metabolism. From untargeted mass spectrometry to quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a diversity of analytical approaches has been applied for biomarker discovery in the field. In this review we consider advances in the application of metabolomics technologies which have uncovered significant effects of sleep and circadian cycles on several metabolites, namely phosphatidylcholine species, medium-chain carnitines, and aromatic amino acids. Study design and data processing measures essential for detecting rhythmicity in metabolomics data are also discussed. Future developments in these technologies are anticipated vis-à-vis validating early findings, given metabolomics has only recently entered the ring with other systems biology assessments in chronometabolism studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Seth D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Rhoades
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Arjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Institute of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States. Electronic address: aalim@upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Aalim M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Weljie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods*; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods*