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Untargeted Metabolomics from Biological Sources Using Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry UPLC-HRMS
Published on: May 20, 2013
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Evaluating changes in firefighter urinary metabolomes after structural fires: an untargeted, high resolution approach
Melissa A Furlong1, Tuo Liu2, Justin M Snider3,4
1Environmental Health Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N Martin Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA. mfurlong@email.arizona.edu.
Scientific Reports
|November 27, 2023
Summary
Firefighters show broad metabolic changes after fires, including altered excretion of indole compounds and uremic toxins. These changes may explain firefighters
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Metabolomics
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Firefighters face increased risks for urinary tract cancers and other health issues due to occupational exposures.
- Understanding the biological impact of firefighting exposures is crucial for mitigating health risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the metabolic changes in firefighters following occupational exposure to fires.
- To identify specific metabolites and pathways associated with firefighting activity.
Main Methods:
- Untargeted liquid-chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry were used to analyze 200 urine samples from 100 firefighters.
- Metabolome-wide association study (MWAS) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were employed to identify significant metabolic changes.
- Pathway enrichment analysis was performed on discriminating metabolites.
Main Results:
- 268 metabolites were associated with firefighting activity, with 20 identified with high confidence.
- Key identified metabolites include amino acids (taurine, proline, betaine), indoles (kynurenic acid, indole-3-acetic acid), uremic toxins (trimethylamine n-oxide, hippuric acid), and hormones.
- Significant metabolic pathways involved urea cycle, amino acid metabolism, and vitamin B3 metabolism.
Conclusions:
- Firefighting leads to a wide range of metabolic alterations in firefighters.
- Altered excretion of indole compounds and uremic toxins are notable findings.
- Uremic toxins may play a significant role in the elevated risk of urinary tract cancers among firefighters.
