Published online May 28, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i20.3643
Peer-review started: February 10, 2017
First decision: March 3, 2017
Revised: March 29, 2017
Accepted: May 4, 2017
Article in press: May 4, 2017
Published online: May 28, 2017
Processing time: 117 Days and 23.3 Hours
To identify metabolic signatures in urine samples from healthy and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) children.
We applied liquid chromatography and gas chromatography coupled to targeted mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolite profiling to identify and quantify bile acids and host-gut microbial metabolites in urine samples collected from 21 pediatric IBD patients monitored three times over one year (baseline, 6 and 12 mo), and 27 age- and gender-matched healthy children.
urinary metabolic profiles of IBD children differ significantly from healthy controls. Such metabolic differences encompass central energy metabolism, amino acids, bile acids and gut microbial metabolites. In particular, levels of pyroglutamic acid, glutamic acid, glycine and cysteine, were significantly higher in IBD children in the course of the study. This suggests that glutathione cannot be optimally synthesized and replenished. Whilst alterations of the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in pediatric IBD patients is known, we show here that non-invasive urinary bile acid profiling can assess those altered hepatic and intestinal barrier dysfunctions.
The present study shows how non-invasive sampling of urine followed by targeted MS-based metabonomic analysis can elucidate and monitor the metabolic status of children with different GI health/disease status.
Core tip: Despite the limited number of subjects, the longitudinal experimental design with a healthy reference group reveals insights into childhood metabolic status in relation to growth and disease. Metabolite profiling of urine samples collected non-invasively enables identification and monitoring of biochemical signatures linked to metabolic and nutritional requirements in pediatric populations with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the present study, a distinct biochemical process related to glutathione, glycine and bile acid metabolism distinguished children with IBD from healthy matched controls.