Advances in mass spectrometry-based multi-scale metabolomic methodologies and their applications in biological and clinical investigations

Ziyi Wang; Hongying Zhu; Wei Xiong

doi:10.1016/j.scib.2023.08.047

Advances in mass spectrometry-based multi-scale metabolomic methodologies and their applications in biological and clinical investigations

Sci Bull (Beijing). 2023 Oct 15;68(19):2268-2284. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.08.047. Epub 2023 Aug 28.

Authors

Ziyi Wang¹, Hongying Zhu², Wei Xiong³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
² Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Intelligent Processing, Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Aging Research, Hefei 230026, China. Electronic address: zhuhy62@ustc.edu.cn.
³ Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Intelligent Processing, Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Aging Research, Hefei 230026, China. Electronic address: wxiong@ustc.edu.cn.

PMID: 37666722
DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.08.047

Abstract

Metabolomics is a nascent field of inquiry that emerged in the late 20th century. It encompasses the comprehensive profiling of metabolites across a spectrum of organisms, ranging from bacteria and cells to tissues. The rapid evolution of analytical methods and data analysis has greatly accelerated progress in this dynamic discipline over recent decades. Sophisticated techniques such as liquid chromatograph mass spectrometry (MS), gas chromatograph MS, capillary electrophoresis MS, and nuclear magnetic resonance serve as the cornerstone of metabolomic analysis. Building upon these methods, a plethora of modifications and combinations have emerged to propel the advancement of metabolomics. Despite this progress, scrutinizing metabolism at the single-cell or single-organelle level remains an arduous task over the decades. Some of the most thrilling advancements, such as single-cell and single-organelle metabolic profiling techniques, offer profound insights into the intricate mechanisms within cells and organelles. This allows for a comprehensive study of metabolic heterogeneity and its pivotal role in multiple biological processes. The progress made in MS imaging has enabled high-resolution in situ metabolic profiling of tissue sections and even individual cells. Spatial reconstruction techniques enable the direct representation of metabolic distribution and alteration in three-dimensional space. The application of novel metabolomic techniques has led to significant breakthroughs in biological and clinical studies, including the discovery of novel metabolic pathways, determination of cell fate in differentiation, anti-aging intervention through modulating metabolism, metabolomics-based clinicopathologic analysis, and surgical decision-making based on on-site intraoperative metabolic analysis. This review presents a comprehensive overview of both conventional and innovative metabolomic techniques, highlighting their applications in groundbreaking biological and clinical studies.

Keywords: Clinical application; Neurodegenerative disease; Novel pathway discovery; Single-cell metabolomics; Single-organelle metabolomics; Spatial metabolomics.

Publication types

Review