Metabolomics efficiently discriminates monozygotic twins in peripheral blood

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Metabolomics
• Proteomics

Background:

• Conventional forensic STR typing cannot differentiate monozygotic (MZ) twins due to identical genetic profiles.
• MZ twins often exhibit lifestyle and environmental differences, leading to variations in their biological profiles.
• Metabolic and protein profiles are influenced by individual characteristics and external factors, offering potential for twin discrimination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the utility of metabolomics and proteomics in distinguishing MZ twins.
• To identify specific metabolites and proteins in peripheral blood that can serve as biomarkers for MZ twin identification.
• To assess the impact of environmental and lifestyle factors on the metabolic and protein profiles of MZ twins.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of metabolites and proteins in peripheral blood samples from four pairs of MZ twins.
• Utilized metabolomics to identify and quantify known metabolites.
• Employed proteomics to analyze protein expression in serum and whole blood.

Main Results:

• Identified 1749 known metabolites and 622 proteins.
• Observed minor intra-pair metabolic differences and major inter-pair differences among MZ twins.
• Four specific exogenous metabolites (methyl picolinate, acesulfame, paraxanthine, phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid) were consistently different across all twin pairs.
• Differential protein profiles were found in serum but not in whole blood.

Conclusions:

• Differential metabolite profiles, influenced by environment and lifestyle, show promise as biomarkers for MZ twin identification in forensic contexts.
• Metabolomics offers a viable approach to complement traditional methods for distinguishing MZ twins.
• Further research into specific metabolite markers could enhance forensic identification capabilities.