Mass-Spectrometry-Based Lipidomics Discriminates Specific Changes in Lipid Classes in Healthy and Dyslipidemic Adults

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) and cholesterol lipoprotein levels are widely used to predict cardiovascular risk and metabolic disorders. The aim of this study is to determine how the comprehensive lipidome (individual molecular lipid species) determined by mass spectrometry is correlated to the serum whole-lipidic profile of adults with different lipidemic conditions. The study included samples from 128 adults of both sexes, and they were separated into four groups according to their lipid profile: Group I-normolipidemic (TAG < 150 mg/dL, LDL-C < 160 mg/dL and HDL-c > 40 mg/dL); Group II-isolated hypertriglyceridemia (TAG ≥ 150 mg/dL); Group III-isolated hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C ≥ 160 mg/dL) and Group IV-mixed dyslipidemia. An untargeted mass spectrometry (MS)-based approach was applied to determine the lipidomic signature of 32 healthy and 96 dyslipidemic adults. Limma linear regression was used to predict the correlation of serum TAGs and cholesterol lipoprotein levels with the abundance of the identified MS-annotated lipids found in the subgroups of subjects. Serum TAG levels of dyslipidemic adults have a positive correlation with some of the MS-annotated specific TAGs and ceramides (Cer) and a negative correlation with sphingomyelins (SMs). High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are positively correlated with some groups of glycerophosphocholine, while low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) has a positive correlation with SMs.

Urine Metabolites Enable Fast Detection of COVID-19 Using Mass Spectrometry

The COVID-19 pandemic boosted the development of diagnostic tests to meet patient needs and provide accurate, sensitive, and fast disease detection. Despite rapid advancements, limitations related to turnaround time, varying performance metrics due to different sampling sites, illness duration, co-infections, and the need for particular reagents still exist. As an alternative diagnostic test, we present urine analysis through flow-injection-tandem mass spectrometry (FIA-MS/MS) as a powerful approach for COVID-19 diagnosis, targeting the detection of amino acids and acylcarnitines. We adapted a method that is widely used for newborn screening tests on dried blood for urine samples in order to detect metabolites related to COVID-19 infection. We analyzed samples from 246 volunteers with diagnostic confirmation via PCR. Urine samples were self-collected, diluted, and analyzed with a run time of 4 min. A Lasso statistical classifier was built using 75/25% data for training/validation sets and achieved high diagnostic performances: 97/90% sensitivity, 95/100% specificity, and 95/97.2% accuracy. Additionally, we predicted on two withheld sets composed of suspected hospitalized/symptomatic COVID-19-PCR negative patients and patients out of the optimal time-frame collection for PCR diagnosis, with promising results. Altogether, we show that the benchmarked FIA-MS/MS method is promising for COVID-19 screening and diagnosis, and is also potentially useful after the peak viral load has passed.

Serum Predose Metabolic Profiling for Prediction of Rosuvastatin Pharmacokinetic Parameters in Healthy Volunteers

Rosuvastatin is a well-known lipid-lowering agent generally used for hypercholesterolemia treatment and coronary artery disease prevention. There is a substantial inter-individual variability in the absorption of statins usually caused by genetic polymorphisms leading to a variation in the corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters, which may affect drug therapy safety and efficacy. Therefore, the investigation of metabolic markers associated with rosuvastatin inter-individual variability is exceedingly relevant for drug therapy optimization and minimizing side effects. This work describes the application of pharmacometabolomic strategies using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry to investigate endogenous plasma metabolites capable of predicting pharmacokinetic parameters in predose samples. First, a targeted method for the determination of plasma concentration levels of rosuvastatin was validated and applied to obtain the pharmacokinetic parameters from 40 enrolled individuals; then, predose samples were analyzed using a metabolomic approach to search for associations between endogenous metabolites and the corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters. Data processing using machine learning revealed some candidates including sterols and bile acids, carboxylated metabolites, and lipids, suggesting the approach herein described as promising for personalized drug therapy.

Achieving the best method to classify Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Chronic Rhinosinusitis is currently classified into eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic, according to the histologic quantification of the number of eosinophils in nasal mucosa biopsy. There is a lack of unanimous histopathologic criteria and methodology for this classification and no consensus regarding a cut-off point for Eosinophils per High power field.

METHODOLOGY

A systematic electronic search was performed on BVS, PUBMED, PUBMED PMC, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, EMBASE, COCHRANE and PROQUEST databases looking for studies that reported a cut point for classification of Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis (eCRS), and data concerning methodology of classification was extracted.

RESULTS

We identified 142 studies that reported 29 different cut-off values for classification of eCRS, and different methods of histologic analysis. Out of these studies 13 reported their own methodology to establish the cut-off point, and used different reference standards as polyp recurrence, asthma and allergy, immunocytochemistry, quality of life index, standard deviation of the control population and cluster analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Further studies are needed to determine a precise cut-off point, especially international multicentered cluster analysis. Moreover, methodologic standardization of biopsy and analysis is needed to certify comparable results. Multiple biopsy sites, densest cellular infiltration area examination and oral steroids restriction at least four weeks before sampling are advisable.

Factors associated with acquisition of, or persistent colonization by, vaginal lactobacilli: role of hydrogen peroxide production

To identify factors that predict sustained colonization by vaginal lactobacilli, microbiologic, behavioral, and demographic data were obtained from 101 nonpregnant women at baseline and at 4 and 8 months. A total of 272 isolates of lactobacilli were identified to the species level by use of whole chromosomal DNA homology to type strains. The predominant lactobacilli were the species Lactobacillus crispatus (38%) and L. jensenii (41%). Of 57 women initially colonized by H(2)O(2)-producing L. crispatus or L. jensenii, 23 (40%) remained colonized over 8 months, compared with 1 (5%) of 21 women colonized by other H(2)O(2)-producing species or by H(2)O(2)-negative strains (P=.01). Frequency of sexual intercourse (> or =1 sex act per week) was associated with loss of colonization with H(2)O(2)-producing lactobacilli (P=.018), as was antibiotic use (P< or =.0001). Other behavioral and demographic characteristics did not predict sustained colonization. The production of H(2)O(2) is closely linked with species and is a predictor for sustained long-term colonization of the vagina.

The identification of vaginal Lactobacillus species and the demographic and microbiologic characteristics of women colonized by these species

Lactobacillus acidophilus has been reported to be the predominant vaginal species. Vaginal lactobacilli isolated from 215 sexually active women were identified using whole-chromosomal DNA probes to 20 American Type Culture Collection Lactobacillus strains. Most women were colonized by L. crispatus (32%), followed by L. jensenii (23%), a previously undescribed species designated L. 1086V (15%), L. gasseri (5%), L. fermentum (0.3%), L. oris (0.3%), L. reuteri (0.3%), L. ruminis (0.3%), and L. vaginalis (0.3%). H2O2 was produced by 95% of L. crispatus and 94% of L. jensenii isolates, compared with only 9% of L. 1086V. Colonization by L. crispatus or L. jensenii was positively associated with being white (P<.001), age >/=20 years (P=.05), barrier contraceptive usage (P=.008), and lower frequency of bacterial vaginosis (P<.001) and gonorrhea (P=.03). L. crispatus and L. jensenii, not L. acidophilus, are the most common species of vaginal lactobacilli.

[Growth analysis of 566 children from the fourteen day care centers of Paulínia (São Paulo, Brazil), with ages ranging from 3 months to 3 years]

To study the growth of 566 children (273 males and 293 females) from fourteen day care centers of Paulínia (São Paulo, Brazil), with ages ranging from 3 months to 3 years, admitted from March 1st to May 31st, 1993, the authors analyzed the z-score distribution of height for age and weight for height in relation to age group, per capita family income, social class levels, mothers education level and child birth weight. The Kruskal-Wallis test and the Multiple Comparison test were used in the statistical analysis. The children with less than 24 months or with birth weight less than 3000 g as the children with mothers education level less than four years, presented left deviated distribution in the height for age z-score. The weight for height score was less satisfactory in the group with per capita income less than one salary, in the group with birth weight less than 3000 g, and in the group with ages superior to 18 months.Therefore, institutional actions concerning the children and their parents are recommended in order to attenuate these factors.