Snytnikova OA, Khlichkina AA, Sagdeev RZ, Tsentalovich YP. Evaluation of sample preparation protocols for quantitative NMR-based metabolomics.
Metabolomics 2019;
15:84. [PMID:
31127446 DOI:
10.1007/s11306-019-1545-y]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Quantification of metabolites in biological fluids and tissues by NMR spectroscopy is challenged by the presence of abundant macromolecules and lipoproteins in samples, which give broad signals in the NMR spectra. To improve the quality of NMR spectra the different protocols for protein and lipid removal from the sample are used.
OBJECTIVES
This work is aimed at the evaluation of the effectiveness of various methods of purification of blood serum from proteins and lipids for 1H NMR metabolomic profiling.
METHODS
The advantages and limitations of different methods of the sample preparation for NMR-based quantitative metabolomics have been compared, including ultrafiltration, methanol and ethanol extractions with and without additional lipid removal, and methanol-chloroform extraction.
RESULTS
The concentrations of 30 abundant metabolites extracted from human blood serum have been measured. It is found that ultrafiltration provides the best lipid removal, but causes significant and inhomogeneous metabolite losses. Ethanol and methanol extractions demonstrate similar performance with the minimal metabolite losses, and are ideal for fluids and tissues with low lipid content. The additional purification of alcohol extracts from lipids allows for the significant improving of NMR spectra, but causes additional metabolite losses.
CONCLUSIONS
The methanol-chloroform extraction seems to be an optimal method for tissues with the high lipid content, providing a satisfactory lipid removal and low metabolite losses. The ultrafiltration leads to large losses of metabolites (up to 60%) and for this reason is not suitable for quantitative analysis.
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