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Tracking biochemical changes correlated with ultra-weak photon emission using metabolomics
Rosilene Cristina Rossetto Burgos1, Kateřina Červinková2, Tom van der Laan3
1Division of Analytical Biosciences, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands; Sino-Dutch Center for Preventive and Personalized Medicine/Center for Photonics of Living Systems, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
Ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) is spontaneous light from biological systems. This study links UPE kinetics to metabolic changes in HL-60 cells, suggesting UPE can monitor cellular metabolism.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) is spontaneous light emission from biological systems during oxidative metabolism.
- The specific metabolic pathways driving UPE are not well understood.
- HL-60 cells are a valuable model for studying respiratory burst and associated cellular processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between UPE kinetics and intracellular metabolic changes.
- To identify specific metabolites correlated with UPE in HL-60 cells undergoing respiratory burst.
- To explore the potential of UPE as a non-invasive tool for monitoring metabolic alterations.
Main Methods:
- HL-60 cells were differentiated into neutrophil-like cells.
- Respiratory burst was induced in differentiated HL-60 cells.
- UPE kinetics were measured concurrently with intracellular metabolite profiling using capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS).
Main Results:
- Significant alterations in metabolites including putrescine, creatine, β-alanine, methionine, hydroxyproline, serine, and S-adenosylmethionine were observed.
- Changes in putrescine, glutathione, sarcosine, creatine, β-alanine, methionine, and hydroxyproline levels showed an inverse correlation with UPE intensity.
- The methionine metabolic pathway was highlighted as potentially significant in UPE generation.
Conclusions:
- Metabolic pathways, particularly the methionine pathway, are implicated in ultra-weak photon emission.
- UPE shows potential as a non-invasive biomarker for monitoring metabolic changes in biological systems.
- This study provides insights into the biochemical underpinnings of UPE.
