Metabolon Target

Central Carbons Targeted Panel

R 7 Metabolites

R Absolute Quantitation

R Rigorous Quality Control

R End-to-end Service

About Central Carbon Metabolism

Central carbon metabolism involves the enzymatic conversion of sugars into metabolic precursors that are used to generate the entire biomass of the cell. The metabolites in this panel include key citric acid cycle compounds that connect carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. In addition to supplying key metabolic precursors, central carbon metabolism is used to oxidize simple sugar molecules obtained from food to supply energy to living systems. Measurement of central carbon metabolites has great industrial relevance since it may allow engineering of selected metabolic steps to optimize carbon flow toward precursors for industrially important metabolites.

Metabolomics reveals biological insights otherwise unseen. For a successful metabolomics study, both small molecule discovery and the ability to dig deeper into specific biomarkers of interest are needed to uncover actionable insights that propel new therapeutic developments. A specific combination of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology and biochemical expertise is required to identify these biomarkers of interest and develop assays that are sensitive enough to explore them fully.

At Metabolon, we understand the crucial role central carbon metabolites play in cellular processes, and we’ve established best-in-class expertise for their detection. This panel focuses on specific central carbon metabolites and their metabolic pathways and can be used to track biomarkers and enhance biological understanding across preclinical and clinical research.

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Central Carbons Targeted Panel Details

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LLOQ*
Metabolite	Plasma/Serum	Cell Cultures
Lactic Acid	40.0 µg/mL	40.0 µg/mL
Pyruvic Acid	0.500 µg/mL	0.500 µg/mL
Citric Acid	5.00 µg/mL	5.00 µg/mL
2-Ketoglutaric Acid	0.500 µg/mL	0.500 µg/mL
Succinic Acid	0.100 µg/mL	0.100 µg/mL
Malic Acid	0.0500 µg/mL	0.0500 µg/mL
Fumaric Acid	0.100 µg/mL	0.100 µg/mL

*Lower Limit of Quantitation (LLOQ) varies for each sample type.

Analysis Method and Instrumentation

LC-MS/MS (Agilent 1290 UHPLC/Sciex QTrap 5500)

Sample Type and Required Amounts
Sample Type	Sample Requirements
Plasma/Serum	100 to 150 µL
Cell cultures	300 to 500 µL
Tissue	50 to 100 mg

Others on request

Disclaimer: This method is for Research Use Only and is not to be used for diagnostic purposes.

Delivering Absolute Quantification for Research and Biomarker Analysis

Our readily available or custom developed quantitative assays help you achieve your research and biomarker validation objectives with precise and fully validated methods. Our targeted assays and panels cover >1,000 metabolites and lipids across a wide range of biochemical classes, metabolic pathways, and physiological processes, and they can be customized to best fit any application.

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Central Carbons Targeted Panel Applications

Cancer

Dysregulated metabolism is essential for the growth and proliferation of individual cancer cells, but the physiology of the patient is as much a part of the equation as the tumor. Metabolomics can both identify cancer-specific drug targets and assess the patient’s phenotype more broadly, addressing key questions such as: Who will respond to the therapy? How can we expand the pool of responders? How can we predict adverse events? Overall, metabolomics informs decision-making and positions development programs for success by providing a functional readout of the molecular phenotype.

Learn more about metabolomics applications for oncology

Diabetes

Diabetes, a serious metabolic condition that results from the inability to regulate blood sugar levels, is a worldwide epidemic. According to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, more than 30 million Americans and 422 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with diabetes. Yet much remains unknown about how diabetes develops, why certain individuals are at increased risk, and whether the metabolic dysregulation can be corrected rather than merely managed.

Metabolomics enables simultaneous assessment of hundreds of compounds present in living systems, making it a critical tool that advances our understanding of disease mechanisms and opens doors to identify novel targets and treatments for conditions like diabetes.

Learn more about metabolomics applications for diabetes research

Liver

The liver is the single most important regulator of metabolic homeostasis at the organismal level. That makes metabolomics an indispensable tool for capturing an integrative profile of an individual’s liver function. As the incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) continues to rise, researchers and health-care providers can look to Metabolon to provide much-needed non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic indicators as well as a fundamental understanding of pathological processes. The metabolome integrates an individual’s genetic makeup and gene expression profile with nongenetic factors such as diet, environmental exposures, and the microbiome. Therefore layering metabolomic analysis onto genomic and transcriptomic data provides the best opportunity to understand disease.

Learn more about metabolomics applications for liver disease research

Nutrition

Metabolomics can be essential for investigating the association between nutrition and health status, as metabolites represent a functional readout at the interface between diet and the complex metabolic systems that influence both health and disease. By illuminating the interactions of metabolites throughout the body within defined pathways, targeted metabolomics can help investigators gain new insights into the absorption and digestion of diet-derived macronutrients, monitor metabolism by various organ systems, and subsequently assess the underlying biology of various health and disease states.

Learn more about metabolomics applications for nutrition

Cardiovascular Disease

Heart failure is a leading cause of death worldwide, and there are numerous factors that lead to this and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Metabolomics can illuminate cardiovascular disease at multiple levels. In preclinical studies, such as with cardiomyocytes or heart tissue from model organisms, understanding mitochondrial function, energetics, and redox status can drive critical insights into disease mechanism. In human studies, metabolomics offers the opportunity to account for well-established CVD risk factors such as cholesterol and complex lipids, while simultaneously profiling thousands of other biochemicals in an unbiased fashion to enable the discovery of novel disease mechanisms and biomarkers.

Learn more about metabolomics applications for cardiovascular disease research

COVID

Recognized for our cutting-edge approach to metabolomics, Metabolon has been a valued resource for COVID-19 researchers worldwide. Our actionable metabolomic insights have fueled pivotal and high-profile studies like the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) IMPACC study research to improve understanding of high-risk patients. These and other metabolomics projects are helping get closer to the phenotype and pressing forward on COVID-19 answers. Institute for Systems Biology research to improve understanding of high-risk patients. These and other metabolomics projects are helping get closer to the phenotype and pressing forward on COVID-19 answers.

Learn more about metabolomics applications for COVID-19 research

Big Insights with Metabolon

Cited in over 3,000 publications, we help scientists and manufacturers gain greater insight into their studies through metabolomics. See how our approach can become a successful part of your workflow.

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