Metabolomics Strategy Assisted by Transcriptomics Analysis to Identify Potential Biomarkers Associated with...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Genomics
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis relies on methods with limitations in sensitivity and specificity.
• Identifying reliable biomarkers is crucial for early detection and effective management of TB.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate dysregulated pathways in tuberculosis using integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics.
• To identify reliable diagnostic biomarkers for tuberculosis.

Main Methods:

• Untargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics were performed on samples from healthy controls, latent TB infection patients, and active TB patients.
• Differential metabolites and genes were identified using statistical analyses and LASSO regression.
• Metabolite set enrichment analysis and integrative analysis of metabolites and genes were conducted.

Main Results:

• Seven specific metabolites were identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers for TB with an AUC of 0.97.
• Three significantly enriched metabolic pathways were identified in TB patients.
• Nine differentially expressed genes within these pathways were identified, with AUC values mostly greater than 0.8.

Conclusions:

• Newly identified metabolic biomarkers show high potential for TB screening and diagnosis.
• These biomarkers could aid in monitoring therapeutic effects in TB patients.
• Integrated analysis provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of TB.