Metabolomic Profiling of Biological Reference Materials using a Multiplatform High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Metabolomics
• Analytical chemistry

Background:

• The rapid growth of metabolomics research is challenged by difficulties in comparing data across studies due to workflow variations.
• Establishing baseline metabolomics data for human reference materials is crucial for addressing data comparability issues.
• Standardized metabolomics data is needed for reliable clinical biomarker discovery and validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report nontargeted semiquantitative metabolomics data for 22 commercially available human reference materials.
• To establish baseline metabolomics data using complementary analytical strategies.
• To support the use of reference materials and nontargeted metabolomics for global studies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) in positive and negative electrospray ionization.
• Employed gas chromatography-electron ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS).
• Analyzed diverse human matrices including plasma, serum, feces, urine, breast milk, saliva, and vaginal fluid.

Main Results:

• Observed significant differences in metabolomic fingerprints across all analyzed human sample types.
• Post hoc comparisons validated the relevance of reference materials and nontargeted metabolomics strategies.
• Identified potential clinical biomarkers and biochemical pathway intermediates across various matrices and states.

Conclusions:

• The generated metabolomics data for human reference materials can improve data comparability and quality control in the field.
• The study highlights the utility of nontargeted metabolomics for global profiling and biomarker discovery.
• Public dissemination of high-quality annotated metabolomics data serves as a valuable resource for the scientific community.