The association between acylcarnitine and amino acids profile and metabolic syndrome and its components in Iranian adults: Data from STEPs 2016

Prediagnostic plasma metabolite concentrations and liver cancer risk: a population-based study of Chinese men

BACKGROUND

Previous metabolic profiling of liver cancer has mostly used untargeted metabolomic approaches and was unable to quantitate the absolute concentrations of metabolites. In this study, we examined the association between the concentrations of 186 targeted metabolites and liver cancer risk using prediagnostic plasma samples collected up to 14 years prior to the clinical diagnosis of liver cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a nested case-control study (n = 322 liver cancer cases, n = 322 matched controls) within the Shanghai Men's Health Study. Conditional logistic regression models adjusted for demographics, lifestyle factors, dietary habits, and related medical histories were used to estimate the odds ratios. Restricted cubic spline functions were used to characterise the dose-response relationships between metabolite concentrations and liver cancer risk.

FINDINGS

After adjusting for potential confounders and correcting for multiple testing, 28 metabolites were associated with liver cancer risk. Significant non-linear relationships were observed for 22 metabolites. The primary bile acid biosynthesis and phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis were found to be important pathways involved in the aetiology of liver cancer. A metabolic score consisting of 10 metabolites significantly improved the predictive ability of traditional epidemiological risk factors for liver cancer, with an optimism-corrected AUC increased from 0.84 (95% CI: 0.81-0.87) to 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86-0.91).

INTERPRETATION

This study characterised the dose-response relationships between metabolites and liver cancer risk, providing insights into the complex metabolic perturbations prior to the clinical diagnosis of liver cancer. The metabolic score may serve as a candidate risk predictor for liver cancer.

FUNDING

National Key Project of Research and Development Program of China [2021YFC2500404, 2021YFC2500405]; US National Institutes of Health [subcontract of UM1 CA173640].

Environmental Planning and Non-Communicable Diseases: A Systematic Review on the Role of the Metabolomic Profile

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the major cause of death worldwide and have economic, psychological, and social impacts. Air pollution is the second, contributing to NCDs-related deaths. Metabolomics are a useful diagnostic and prognostic tool for NCDs, as they allow the identification of biomarkers linked to emerging pathologic processes. The aim of the present study was to review the scientific literature on the application of metabolomics profiling in NCDs and to discuss environmental planning actions to assist healthcare systems and public managers based on early metabolic diagnosis. The search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases with the following MeSH terms: "metabolomics" AND "noncommunicable diseases" AND "air pollution". Twenty-nine studies were eligible. Eleven involved NCDs prevention, eight addressed diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, systemic arterial hypertension, or metabolic syndrome. Six studies focused on obesity, two evaluated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, two studied cancer, and none addressed chronic respiratory diseases. The studies provided insights into the biological pathways associated with NCDs. Understanding the cost of delivering care where there will be a critical increase in NCDs prevalence is crucial to achieving universal health coverage and improving population health by allocating environmental planning and treatment resources.