Identification of Lysophosphatidylcholines and Sphingolipids as Potential Biomarkers for Acute Aortic Dissection via Serum Metabolomics

Xiushi Zhou; Renping Wang; Tian Zhang; Fei Liu; Wei Zhang; Guili Wang; Guorong Gu; Qinqi Han; Demin Xu; Chenling Yao; Daqiao Guo; Weiguo Fu; Yunpeng Qi; Lixin Wang

doi:10.1016/j.ejvs.2018.07.004

Identification of Lysophosphatidylcholines and Sphingolipids as Potential Biomarkers for Acute Aortic Dissection via Serum Metabolomics

Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2019 Mar;57(3):434-441. doi: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2018.07.004. Epub 2018 Aug 4.

Authors

Xiushi Zhou¹, Renping Wang², Tian Zhang², Fei Liu¹, Wei Zhang¹, Guili Wang¹, Guorong Gu³, Qinqi Han⁴, Demin Xu⁵, Chenling Yao³, Daqiao Guo¹, Weiguo Fu⁶, Yunpeng Qi², Lixin Wang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Vascular Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Vascular Surgery Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
² School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Emergency, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
⁵ Department of Cardiac Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁶ Department of Vascular Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Vascular Surgery Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Vascular Surgery, Xiamen Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, China.
⁷ Department of Vascular Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Vascular Surgery Institute of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Vascular Surgery, Xiamen Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, China. Electronic address: wang.lixin@zs-hospital.sh.cn.

PMID: 30087010
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2018.07.004

Abstract

Objectives: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a severe clinical emergency with a high mortality, and is easily misdiagnosed in its early stage. This study aimed at discovering serum metabolomic markers with the potential to diagnose AAD and distinguish between two subtypes of AAD.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with AAD, including 20 with Stanford type A and 15 with Stanford type B were enrolled in this study, together with 20 healthy controls. All patients with AAD were admitted within 72 h of onset. Serum metabolomics profiles were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and the data were analysed by principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis.

Results: A total of 17 metabolites differing between the control and AAD groups were finally screened and identified as lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) and sphingolipids including sphinganine, phytosphingosine, sphingomyelin, and ceramide. Compared with those in the healthy control group, LPC levels were significantly lower in both the Stanford type A and type B AAD groups. Interestingly, sphingolipids, including sphinganine, phytosphingosine, and ceramide, were remarkably reduced in the Stanford type A AAD group, but not in the Stanford type B AAD group. Subgroup analysis showed that the changes in LPC and sphingolipid levels were unrelated to hypertension or gender.

Conclusions: The present results indicate that LPCs and sphingolipids are significantly altered in patients with AAD, and several sphingolipids, such as sphinganine, phytosphingosine, and ceramide, were dramatically decreased in patients with Stanford type A AAD. A combination of these two families of metabolites could serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of AAD and distinguishing between Stanford type A and Stanford type B.

Keywords: Acute aortic dissection; Biomarker; Lysophosphatidylcholine; Metabolomics; Sphingolipid.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aortic Aneurysm / blood*
Aortic Aneurysm / diagnosis*
Aortic Dissection / blood*
Aortic Dissection / diagnosis*
Biomarkers / blood
Case-Control Studies
Chromatography, Liquid
Diagnosis, Differential
Discriminant Analysis
Female
Humans
Least-Squares Analysis
Lysophosphatidylcholines / blood*
Male
Mass Spectrometry
Metabolomics / methods*
Middle Aged
Predictive Value of Tests
Principal Component Analysis
Sphingolipids / blood*

Substances

Biomarkers
Lysophosphatidylcholines
Sphingolipids