Recent Advances and Challenges in Steroid Metabolomics for Biomarker Discovery

Abstract

Background: Steroid hormones belong to a group of low-molecular weight compounds which are responsible for maintenance of various body functions, thus, their accurate assessment is crucial for evaluation of biosynthetic defects. The development of reliable methods allowing disease diagnosis is essential to improve early detection of various disorders connected with altered steroidogenesis. Currently, the field of metabolomics offers several improvements in terms of sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic methods when opposed to classical diagnostic approaches. The combination of hyphenated techniques and pattern recognition methods allows to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the slightest alterations in steroid metabolic pathways and can be applied as a tool for biomarker discovery.

Methods: We have performed an extensive literature search applying various bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed articles concentrating on the applications of hyphenated techniques and pattern recognition methods incorporated into the steroid metabolomic approach for biomarker discovery.

Results: The review discusses strengths, challenges and recent developments in steroidbased metabolomics. We present methods of sample collection and preparation, methods of separation and detection of steroid hormones in biological material, data analysis, and interpretation as well as examples of applications of steroid metabolomics for biomarker discovery (cancer, mental and central nervous system disorders, endocrine diseases, monitoring of drug therapy and doping control).

Conclusion: Information presented in this review will be valuable to anyone interested in the application of metabolomics for biomarker discovery with a special emphasis on disorders of steroid hormone synthesis and metabolism.

Keywords: Metabolomics; biomarkers; chromatography; endocrine diseases; mass spectrometry; metabolic profiling; steroid hormones..