Background: There is no comprehensive analytical technique to analyze N-acetylated metabolites in urine. Many of these compounds are involved in inborn errors of metabolism. In the present study, we examined the potential of proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) spectroscopy as a tool to identify and quantify N-acetylated metabolites in urine of patients with various inborn errors of metabolism.
Methods: We performed (1)H-NMR spectroscopy on a 500 MHz spectrometer. Using a combination of one- and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (COSY) (1)H-NMR spectra, we were able to assign and quantify resonances of characteristic N-acetylated compounds products in urine of patients with 13 inborn errors of metabolism.
Results: The disease-specific N-acetylated metabolites were excreted at concentrations >100 micromol/mmol of creatinine in the patients' urine. In control urine samples, the concentration of individual N-acetyl-containing compounds was <40 micromol/mmol of creatinine. The combination of one- and two-dimensional COSY NMR spectroscopy led to the correct diagnosis of nine different inborn errors of metabolism. No abnormalities were observed in the spectra of urine from patients with G(M1)- or G(M2)-gangliosidosis. We also determined the (1)H-NMR characteristics of N-acetylated metabolites that may be relevant to human metabolism.
Conclusion: (1)H-NMR spectroscopy may be used to identify and quantify N-acetylated metabolites of diagnostic importance for the field of inborn errors of metabolism.