Associations of anthropometric markers with serum metabolites using a targeted metabolomics approach: results of the EPIC-potsdam study

Abstract

Background/Objectives:The metabolic consequences of type of body shape need further exploration. Whereas accumulation of body mass in the abdominal area is a well-established metabolic risk factor, accumulation in the gluteofemoral area is controversially debated. We evaluated the associations of anthropometric markers of overall body mass and body shape with 127 serum metabolites within a sub-sample of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Potsdam cohort.Subjects/Methods:The cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 2270 participants, randomly drawn from the EPIC-Potsdam cohort. Metabolites were measured by targeted metabolomics. To select metabolites related with both waist circumference (WC) (abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat) and hip circumference (HC) (gluteofemoral fat, muscles and bone structure) correlations (r) with body mass index (BMI) as aggregating marker of body mass (lean and fat mass) were calculated. Relations with body shape were assessed by median metabolite concentrations across tertiles of WC and HC, mutually adjusted to each other.Results:Correlations revealed 23 metabolites related to BMI (r⩾I0.20 I). Metabolites showing relations with BMI were showing similar relations with HC adjusted WC (WCHC). In contrast, relations with WC adjusted HC (HCWC) were less concordant with relations of BMI and WCHC. In both sexes, metabolites with concordant relations regarding WCHC and HCWC included tyrosine, diacyl-phosphatidylcholine C38:3, C38:4, lyso-phosphatidylcholine C18:1, C18:2 and sphingomyelin C18:1; metabolites with opposite relations included isoleucine, diacyl-phosphatidylcholine C42:0, acyl–alkyl-phosphatidylcholine C34:3, C42:4, C42:5, C44:4 and C44:6. Metabolites specifically related to HCWC included acyl–alkyl-phosphatidylcholine C34:2, C36:2, C38:2 and C40:4, and were solely observed in men. Other metabolites were related to WCHC only.Conclusions:The study revealed specific metabolic profiles for HCWC as marker of gluteofemoral body mass differing from those for BMI and WCHC as markers of overall body mass and abdominal fat, respectively. Thus, the study suggests that gluteofemoral mass may have less-adverse metabolic implications than abdominal fat.

Cord Blood Lysophosphatidylcholine 16: 1 is Positively Associated with Birth Weight

“…The method of Absolute IDQ TM p150 Kit has been proven to be in conformance with the EMEA-Guideline “Guideline on bioanalytical method validation (July 21st 2011”) [26], which implies proof of reproducibility within a given error range. A detailed description of the sample preparation, assay procedures and nomenclature have been published previously [27-29]. …”

Metabolomic Profiles Associated with BMI, Waist Circumference, and Diabetes and Inflammation Biomarkers in Women

“…Many studies have used metabolomic profiling to identify metabolites and metabolic pathways that are altered in individuals with overweight and obesity. These include several smaller studies (10 to 140 participants) that compared metabolite levels in groups of adults defined by body size measures , as well as studies with larger sample sizes derived from a specific population or prospective cohort studies . Collectively, these studies have found that levels of several amino acids, including the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are higher in obesity, whereas other amino acids are lower .…”

“…These include several smaller studies (10 to 140 participants) that compared metabolite levels in groups of adults defined by body size measures , as well as studies with larger sample sizes derived from a specific population or prospective cohort studies . Collectively, these studies have found that levels of several amino acids, including the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are higher in obesity, whereas other amino acids are lower . Numerous lipids, including fatty acids (FAs), glycerophospholipids, and sphingolipids , as well as the carbohydrates glucose and mannose , are also perturbed with obesity.…”

“…Collectively, these studies have found that levels of several amino acids, including the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are higher in obesity, whereas other amino acids are lower . Numerous lipids, including fatty acids (FAs), glycerophospholipids, and sphingolipids , as well as the carbohydrates glucose and mannose , are also perturbed with obesity. Results in studies with waist circumference (WC) were largely consistent with the BMI findings .…”

Fully Automated Trimethylsilyl (TMS) Derivatisation Protocol for Metabolite Profiling by GC-MS

“…It is now possible to detect and identify thousands of metabolites in a single run [1,2,3]. Although, initially, metabolomics had been applied mostly as a data-driven hypothesis generating approach in an un-targeted manner, recently both targeted and un-targeted metabolomics are becoming more popular to resolve many research questions [3,4,5,6]. Among different techniques of metabolite analysis, metabolite profiling is the oldest and most widely used in life sciences, and focuses on the study of a large group of metabolites related to different metabolic pathways [7].…”