Plasma Metabolomic Profiles in Healthy Adults following Consumption of Broccoli Sprouts

Abstract

Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables, has many potential health benefits including cancer prevention. There has been intense study of the molecular and genetic targets of SFN, however, there is limited knowledge around the biological pathways it targets in humans. This study's objective was to identify examine metabolomic profiles in healthy adult before and after consuming fresh broccoli sprouts, a rich and bioavailable dietary source of SFN, to observe how multiple metabolites respond to SFN consumption in vivo. Twenty healthy adults consumed 200 µmol SFN equivalents from fresh broccoli sprouts and provided blood samples at time 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours following consumption. Untargeted metabolomic analysis was performed on plasma samples from each time point using an AB Sciex TripleTOF® 5600 coupled to a Shimadzu ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography system. Following sprout intake, altered levels for metabolites associated with steroid, lipid and protein metabolism, the urea cycle, nucleotide and one‐carbon metabolism, and glutathione synthesis were observed. This research provides important information on novel molecular targets and mechanisms of SFN that can improve understanding of SFN's role in health and disease prevention. R01CA122906, P01CA090890, P30 ES000210

Current Knowledge on the Preparation and Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables as Relates to In Vitro, In Vivo, and Clinical Models of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“…It is essential to employ appropriate metabolomics analysis to efficiently identify metabolites with low sensitivity. For example, untargeted metabolomics identified the presence of glutathione metabolites in healthy human plasma samples, which was associated with the antioxidant benefits of the broccoli diet [ 164 ]. However, glutathione and its precursors, glutamine, and cysteine, were transiently downregulated at 6 and 12 h after the broccoli diet [ 165 ], whereas fatty acid metabolites associated with lipid metabolism were consistently downregulated [ 165 ].…”