A Aneesh Kumar1, Vanaja R Anusree1, Gopika Satheesh1, Gadadharan Vijayakumar2, Mahesh Chandran3, Leena Simon2, Subhadra Lakshmi4, Madhavan R Pillai5, Abdul Jaleel6,7. 1. Cardiovascular Diseases & Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India. 2. Medical Trust Hospital and Diabetes Care Centre, Kulanada, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. 3. Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India. 4. Division of Cancer Research, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. 5. Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India. 6. Cardiovascular Diseases & Diabetes Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India. jaleel@rgcb.res.in. 7. Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India. jaleel@rgcb.res.in.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCys) is an independent risk factor for various diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's, and cancers. Folate deficiency is one of the significant reasons for HHCys. However, it is not known whether folate deficiency with HHCys is associated with any serum metabolites. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to identify the metabolic alterations in people having folate deficiency with HHCys and check whether a short-term folic acid therapy could reverse those metabolic changes. METHODS: The study enrolled 34 participants aged between 18 and 40 years having folate deficiency (< 4.6 ng/mL) with HHCys (> 15 μmol/L) and 21 normal healthy individuals. A short-term intervention of oral folic acid (5 mg/day) was done in the HHCys group for 30 days. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of serum was performed in all study subjects before and after the folic acid treatment. Different univariate methods and the multivariable-adjusted linear regression models were employed to determine an association between homocysteine level and metabolite profile. RESULTS: Metabolomics analysis data showed that many metabolites involved in the biochemical pathways of lipid metabolisms such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, glycerolipids, and phospholipids were downregulated in the HHCys group. Short-term oral folic acid therapy significantly reduced their serum homocysteine level. However, the metabolic pathway alterations observed in folate-deficient HHCys-condition were unaltered even after the folic acid treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that people who have a folic acid deficiency with HHCys have an altered metabolite profile related to lipid metabolism, which cannot be reversed by short-term folic acid therapy.
INTRODUCTION: Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCys) is an independent risk factor for various diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's, and cancers. Folate deficiency is one of the significant reasons for HHCys. However, it is not known whether folate deficiency with HHCys is associated with any serum metabolites. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to identify the metabolic alterations in people having folate deficiency with HHCys and check whether a short-term folic acid therapy could reverse those metabolic changes. METHODS: The study enrolled 34 participants aged between 18 and 40 years having folate deficiency (< 4.6 ng/mL) with HHCys (> 15 μmol/L) and 21 normal healthy individuals. A short-term intervention of oral folic acid (5 mg/day) was done in the HHCys group for 30 days. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of serum was performed in all study subjects before and after the folic acid treatment. Different univariate methods and the multivariable-adjusted linear regression models were employed to determine an association between homocysteine level and metabolite profile. RESULTS: Metabolomics analysis data showed that many metabolites involved in the biochemical pathways of lipid metabolisms such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, glycerolipids, and phospholipids were downregulated in the HHCys group. Short-term oral folic acid therapy significantly reduced their serum homocysteine level. However, the metabolic pathway alterations observed in folate-deficient HHCys-condition were unaltered even after the folic acid treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that people who have a folic acid deficiency with HHCys have an altered metabolite profile related to lipid metabolism, which cannot be reversed by short-term folic acid therapy.
Authors: Warwick B Dunn; David Broadhurst; Paul Begley; Eva Zelena; Sue Francis-McIntyre; Nadine Anderson; Marie Brown; Joshau D Knowles; Antony Halsall; John N Haselden; Andrew W Nicholls; Ian D Wilson; Douglas B Kell; Royston Goodacre Journal: Nat Protoc Date: 2011-06-30 Impact factor: 13.491