An Amino Acid Signature Associated with Obesity Predicts 2-Year Risk of Hypertriglyceridemia in School-Age Children

Abstract

Childhood obesity is associated with a number of metabolic abnormalities leading to increased cardiovascular risk. Metabolites can be useful as early biomarkers and new targets to promote early intervention beginning in school age. Thus, we aimed to identify metabolomic profiles associated with obesity and obesity-related metabolic traits. We used data from the Obesity Research Study for Mexican children (ORSMEC) in Mexico City and included a case control (n = 1120), cross-sectional (n = 554) and a longitudinal study (n = 301) of 6–12-year-old children. Forty-two metabolites were measured using electrospray MS/MS and multivariate regression models were used to test associations of metabolomic profiles with anthropometric, clinical and biochemical parameters. Principal component analysis showed a serum amino acid signature composed of arginine, leucine/isoleucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, valine and proline significantly associated with obesity (OR = 1.57; 95%CI 1.45–1.69, P = 3.84 × 10−31) and serum triglycerides (TG) (β = 0.067, P = 4.5 × 10−21). These associations were validated in the cross-sectional study (P < 0.0001). In the longitudinal cohort, the amino acid signature was associated with serum TG and with the risk of hypertriglyceridemia after 2 years (OR = 1.19; 95%CI 1.03-1.39, P = 0.016). This study shows that an amino acid signature significantly associated with childhood obesity, is an independent risk factor of future hypertriglyceridemia in children.

A Multi-Omic Analysis for Low Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women Suggests a Relationship between Diet, Metabolites, and Microbiota

“…Concentrations of serum acyl-carnitines, free carnitine, and amino acids were measured using the approach of targeted metabolomics by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (quattro Micro API tandem MS, Waters Inc., Milford, MA, USA). Metabolite levels in serum were analyzed using the commercial kit (NeoBase Non-derivatized MS/MS Kit, Perkin Elmer, Waltham, MA, USA), as previously described [ 25 ]. Briefly, 20 µL of serum were poured onto filter paper cards (Whatman 903, Dassel, Germany) and dried at room temperature.…”

Composition of gut microbiota in obese and normal‐weight Mexican school‐age children and its association with metabolic traits

“…Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure and body fat mass percentage (BF%) were measured following standardized procedures, as previously described . Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥95th percentile, whereas NW was defined as BMI between the 15th and 75th percentiles for age and gender based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reference data .…”

“…Blood samples of 5 mL were drawn after 8–12 h of fasting. Serum biochemical and amino acid analyses were carried out as previously described . Insulin sensitivity was estimated with the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR).…”

A Serum Metabolic Profiling Analysis During the Formation of Fatty Liver in Landes Geese via Gc-tof/ms

“…The elevated concentrations of citrulline, proline and creatine, which are products of arginine and proline metabolism, implying the increase of amino acid utilization. Relevant metabolic articles indicated that disturbed metabolism of arginine and proline might play an important role in the obesity progression [33,34], in complete agreement with the increase in body weight and liver weight of Landes geese.…”