Research Areas
Translate cardiovascular biomarkers into functional, predictive, and diagnostic research outcomes.
Metabolomics plays a pivotal role in advancing cardiovascular disease (CVD) research by offering a holistic perspective on the intricate interplay of small molecules within biological systems. One of its primary contributions lies in biomarker discovery, aiding the identification of diagnostic and prognostic markers for cardiovascular diseases. Metabolomics enables a nuanced understanding of disease mechanisms by unraveling altered metabolic pathways associated with conditions such as atherosclerosis and heart failure. Moreover, it facilitates drug development and evaluation, providing a systems wide evaluation of treatments on cardiovascular-related metabolic pathways, as well as intervention targets and insights into therapy strategies.
This information supports the quest for personalized medicine by incorporating individual variations in metabolic profiles for tailored treatment plans. Metabolomics also assists in risk stratification, monitoring disease progression, and exploring the influence of nutrition on cardiovascular health. Ultimately, it unveils novel therapeutic targets, guiding the development of innovative interventions in the realm of cardiovascular research.
More understanding is needed about the aspects of disease occurrence and severity in cardiovascular diseases. Metabolon can provide a unique insight into the state of health and metabolic functions of cardiovascular diseases via small molecule analysis. Global metabolomics can be applied to discover metabolic drivers of cardiovascular diseases in cultured cells, tissue, serum, and multiple other sample types. These insights can be translated to actionable biomarkers through follow-on targeted panels.
Despite significant advances in the treatment of CVD, it continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide, demonstrating the need for better preventive strategies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 17.9 million people die each year from CVD, which accounts for an estimated 32% of all deaths worldwide. Therefore, developing better strategies to combat CVD is of global importance and should be regarded as a priority. Improved and early diagnosis of CVD may effectively shift the focus of the therapy from treatment to prevention and thereby improve overall survival. The discovery and validation of novel biomarkers of CVD can help support drug development and early disease detection.
Lipids, known to drive the pathological changes in cardiovascular diseases (CVD), are a prime target for metabolomic profiling, with studies supporting their role in atherosclerosis, apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance. Metabolomic and lipidomic profiling enable the discovery of novel disease mechanisms and biomarkers, offering a unique platform to provide insights into the molecular processes influencing CVD. These technologies have the potential to advance the understanding of CVD mechanisms and aid in the development of early diagnosis and pharmacological interventions.
Chevli PA, Freedman BI, Hsu FC, et al. Plasma metabolomic profiling in subclinical atherosclerosis: the Diabetes Heart Study. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2021;20(231). doi: 10.1186/s12933-021-01419-y
Stø K, Valeur J, Ueland T, et al. Fecal level of butyric acid, a microbiome-derived metabolite, is increased in patients with severe carotid atherosclerosis. Sci Rep. 2022;12:22378 (2022). doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-26759-x
Metabolomics contributes to the development of improved diagnostics in cardiology. In a study published in Metabolites, a Middle Eastern population was profiled to find metabolic signatures of coronary heart disease. Metabolite risk scores were able to discriminate between cases and controls using ciculating metabolites identified with untargeted metabolomics, demonstrating that identifying population-based biomarkers with metabolomics can improve disease prediction.
Ullah E, El-Menyar A, Kunji K, et al. Untargeted Metabolomics Profiling Reveals Perturbations in Arginine-NO Metabolism in Middle Eastern Patients with Coronary Heart Disease. Metabolites. 2022; 12(6):517. doi: 10.3390/metabo12060517
CASE STUDY
In a study published in Nature, researchers combined GWAS, EAWAS, and metabolomics data to identify and characterize the potential metabolic functions of several novel and rare variants associated with blood pressure regulation. Their study represents a ground-breaking effort to identify metabolic pathways underlying the mechanism of how genetic factors contribute to high blood pressure, laying the foundation for further studies identifying novel therapeutic targets.
A meta-analysis of GWAS and EWAS data from over 1.3 million individuals identified several novel and rare variants associated with blood pressure regulation that, in comparison to common variants, had significantly larger average effects on blood pressure. Using Metabolon’s Global Discovery Panel, metabolomics data analyzed from ~14,000 individuals from the EPIC and INTERVAL cohorts identified 25 metabolites associated with nine of these newly identified blood pressure-associated variants. Most of these metabolites belonged to carbohydrate, lipid, cofactor and vitamin, nucleotide, and amino acid metabolism pathways.
Mendelian randomization analysis to understand the impact of 14 of these metabolites on blood pressure revealed that lower levels of 3-methylglutarylcarnitine were significantly associated with increased diastolic blood pressure. Characterizing the mechanistic consequences of these variants is the foundation for advancing our understanding of this complex disease and developing effective new therapeutics.
Surendran P, Feofanova EV, Lahrouchi N, et al. Discovery of rare variants associated with blood pressure regulation through meta-analysis of 1.3 million individuals. Nat Genet. 2020;52(12):1314-1332. doi: 10.1038/s41588-020-00713-x
“Metabolomics studies to date have revealed systemic disturbances and interconnected pathways underlying cardiovascular disease. These pathways include lipid, fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism, branched chain amino acids and aromatic acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid and urea cycle, and muscle metabolism.”
Iliou A, Mikros E, Karaman I, et al. Metabolic phenotyping and cardiovascular disease: an overview of evidence from epidemiological settings. Heart. 2021. 107:1123-1129.
Once you see the full value of metabolomics, the only remaining question is: who does it best? While many laboratories have metabolite profiling or analytical chemistry capabilities, comprehensive metabolomics technologies are extremely rare.
Accurate, unbiased metabolite identification across the entire metabolome introduces signal-to-noise challenges that very few labs are equipped to handle. Also, translating massive quantities of data into actionable information is slow, if not impossible, for most because proper interpretation takes two things that are in short supply: experience and a comprehensive database.
Using our robust platform and visualization tools, our experts are uniquely able to tell you more about your molecule and develop assay panels to help you zero in on the results you need.
Coverage
Ability to interrogate thousands of metabolites across diverse biochemical space, revealing new insights and opportunities
Comparability
Ability to integrate the data from different studies into the same dataset, in different geographies, among different patients over time
Competency
Ability to inform on proper study design, generate high‐quality data, derive biological insights, and make actionable recommendations
Capacity
Ability to process hundreds of thousands of samples quickly and cost‐efficiently to service rapidly growing demand
Request a quote for our services, get more information on sample types and handling procedures, request a letter of support, or submit a question about how metabolomics can advance your research.
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