Metabolomics to Diagnose Oxidative Stress in Perinatal Asphyxia: Towards a Non-Invasive Approach

Abstract

There is a need for feasible and non-invasive diagnostics in perinatal asphyxia. Metabolomics is the study of small molecular weight products of cellular metabolism that may, directly and indirectly, reflect the level of oxidative stress. Saliva analysis is a novel approach that has a yet unexplored potential in metabolomics in perinatal asphyxia. The aim of this review was to give an overview of metabolomics studies of oxidative stress in perinatal asphyxia, particularly searching for studies analyzing non-invasively collected biofluids including saliva. We searched the databases PubMed/Medline and included 11 original human and 4 animal studies. In perinatal asphyxia, whole blood, plasma, and urine are the most frequently used biofluids used for metabolomics analyses. Although changes in oxidative stress-related salivary metabolites have been reported in adults, the utility of this approach in perinatal asphyxia has not yet been explored. Human and animal studies indicate that, in addition to antioxidant enzymes, succinate and hypoxanthine, as well acylcarnitines may have discriminatory diagnostic and prognostic properties in perinatal asphyxia. Researchers may utilize the accumulating evidence of discriminatory metabolic patterns in perinatal asphyxia to develop bedside methods to measure oxidative stress metabolites in perinatal asphyxia. Although only supported by indirect evidence, saliva might be a candidate biofluid for such point-of-care diagnostics.

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiome and metabolome changes in Javanese medaka fish (Oryzias javanicus Bleeker, 1854)

“…It also increases the generation of sarcosine and glycine in several organisms [68] . The activation and enhancement of the urea cycle, alanine, and valine in this study were reportedly found to be related to increased oxidative stress in perinatal asphyxia [56] .…”

Metabolomics, Oxidative, and Nitrosative Stress in the Perinatal Period

“…It is important to design non-invasive tools tailored to the characteristics of newborns, and saliva analysis has unexplored potential. This Special Issue includes a literature review providing an overview of metabolomics studies of oxidative stress in perinatal asphyxia, particularly seeking studies analyzing non-invasively collected biofluids such as saliva [ 5 ]. While changes in oxidative stress-related salivary metabolites have been reported in adults, the utility of this approach in perinatal asphyxia has yet to be explored.…”