Metabolomics analysis reveals serum biomarkers in patients with diabetic sarcopenia

Yuwei Tan; Xiaosong Liu; Yinping Yang; Baoying Li; Fei Yu; Wenqian Zhao; Chunli Fu; Xin Yu; Zhenxia Han; Mei Cheng

doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1119782

Metabolomics analysis reveals serum biomarkers in patients with diabetic sarcopenia

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Mar 22:14:1119782. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1119782. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yuwei Tan^{1

2

3}, Xiaosong Liu^{1

2

3}, Yinping Yang^{1

2

3}, Baoying Li^{2

4}, Fei Yu^{1

2

3}, Wenqian Zhao^{1

2

3}, Chunli Fu^{1

2

3}, Xin Yu^{1

2

3}, Zhenxia Han^{1

2

3}, Mei Cheng^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Geriatric Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
² Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Proteomics of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
³ Jinan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Medicine (202132001), Jinan, China.
⁴ Jinan Aixinzhuoer Medical Laboratory, Jinan, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic sarcopenia (DS) is characterized by muscle atrophy, slower nerve conduction, reduced maximum tension generated by skeletal muscle contraction, and slower contraction rate. Hence, DS can cause limb movement degeneration, slow movement, reduced balance, reduced metabolic rate, falls, fractures, etc. Moreover, the relevant early biological metabolites and their pathophysiological mechanism have yet to be characterized.

Method: The current cross-sectional study employed serum metabolomics analysis to screen potential noninvasive biomarkers in patients with diabetic sarcopenia. A total of 280 diabetic patients were enrolled in the study (n = 39 sarcopenia [DS], n = 241 without sarcopenia [DM]). Ten patients were randomly selected from both groups. Non-targeted metabolomic analysis was performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Results: A total of 632 differential metabolites were identified, including 82 that were significantly differentially abundant (P < 0.05, VIP > 1, FC > 1.2 or FC < 0.8). Compared with the DM group, the contents of pentadecanoic acid, 5'-methylthioadenosine (5'-MTA), N,N-dimethylarginine (asymmetric dimethylarginine, ADMA), and glutamine in the DS group were significantly increased, while that of isoxanthohumol was decreased.

Discussion: Based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, pentadecanoic acid, 5'-MTA, ADMA, and glutamine may serve as potential biomarkers of DS. Moreover, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and the mammalian target of the rapamycin signaling pathway were found to potentially have important regulatory roles in the occurrence and development of DS (P < 0.05). Collectively, the differential metabolites identified in this study provide new insights into the underlying pathophysiology of DS and serve as a basis for therapeutic interventions.

Keywords: biomarkers; diabetes; metabolomics; sarcopenia; serum metabolites.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Biomarkers* / blood
Biomarkers* / metabolism
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diabetes Complications* / blood
Diabetes Complications* / metabolism
Diabetes Complications* / physiopathology
Diabetes Mellitus / blood
Diabetes Mellitus / metabolism
Diabetes Mellitus / physiopathology
Glutamine
Humans
Metabolome
Sarcopenia* / blood
Sarcopenia* / etiology
Sarcopenia* / metabolism
Sarcopenia* / physiopathology

Substances

Biomarkers
Glutamine

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (2015FY111600) Science and Technology Development Plan of Shandong Province (2017G006041).