NMR spectroscopy based metabolomics confirms the aggravation of metabolic disorder in metabolic syndrome combined with hyperuricemia

Abstract

Background and aims: Hyperuricemia (HUA) were associated with Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components. However, the molecular mechanism of uric acid in the development of MetS was not well elucidated. The aim of this study was developing a systemic metabolic profile by using metabolomics approach to explore the molecular mechanism of uric acid in the development of MetS.

Methods and results: Anthropometric, clinical biochemical data, and serum samples were collected from patients with MetS, MetS combined with HUA (MetS & HUA) and healthy controls. ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to detect endogenous small molecule metabolites of serum samples, then multivariate statistical analysis was applied to distinguish samples of different groups. In addition, pathway analysis was performed to contribute to understanding the metabolic change. By serum metabolic profiling, a total of 20 identified metabolites including lipids, amino acids, and organic acids were significantly altered in MetS and MetS & HUA patients. MetS & HUA patients presented a more severe disorder in both identified metabolites and BMI and biochemical indexes. According to pathway analysis, there were 3 and 5 metabolic pathways remarkably perturbed in MetS and MetS & HUA group respectively.

Conclusion: Taken together, we identified disordered metabolites and related pathways for both MetS and MetS & HUA patients, and found a more severe metabolic disorder in MetS patients who has a higher serum uric acid. Our study provides biochemical insights into the metabolic alteration for the progress of MetS.

Keywords: Hyperuricemia; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolites; Metabolomics; NMR; Serum uric acid.