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Metabolomics Profiling of Stages of Coronary Artery Disease Progression
Gulsen Guliz Anlar1, Najeha Anwardeen2, Sarah Al Ashmar1
1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Insights
Metabolomics reveals key changes in sugar, steroid, and fatty acid metabolism linked to coronary artery disease (CAD) progression. Specific metabolites like glucose and quinolinate may serve as predictive biomarkers for atherosclerosis risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
- Metabolomics and Biomarker Discovery
- Molecular Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) and atherosclerosis are major global health concerns.
- Hypercholesterolemia (HC), hypertension (HT), and diabetes are primary risk factors for CAD.
- Metabolomics offers a powerful approach to understand the molecular underpinnings of cardiovascular diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of metabolomics in understanding CAD progression.
- To identify key metabolites associated with CAD risk, considering HC, HT, and diabetes.
- To explore the interplay between metabolic profiles and cardiovascular disease development.
Main Methods:
- Metabolomic profiling was conducted on 221 participants across four groups: healthy, HC, HC with HT/diabetes, and CAD patients.
- Data from the Qatar Biobank, including clinical information and metabolomic data, was analyzed.
- Statistical analyses were employed to identify metabolite differences linked to CAD risk.
Main Results:
- Distinct metabolite profiles were observed across the study groups.
- Increased levels of mannitol/sorbitol, mannose, glucose, and ribitol were associated with higher CAD risk.
- Decreased levels of pregnenediol sulfate, oleoylcarnitine, and quinolinate were observed with increased CAD risk.
Conclusions:
- Metabolomic profiling provides novel insights into CAD progression.
- Changes in carbohydrate, lipid, and steroid metabolism are significantly linked to CAD risk.
- Metabolites such as quinolinate warrant further investigation as potential predictive biomarkers for atherosclerosis and targeted therapies.
Abstract:
Coronary artery disease (CAD) and atherosclerosis pose significant global health challenges, with intricate molecular changes influencing disease progression. Hypercholesterolemia (HC), hypertension (HT), and diabetes are key contributors to CAD development. Metabolomics, with its comprehensive analysis of metabolites, offers a unique perspective on cardiovascular diseases. This study leveraged metabolomics profiling to investigate the progression of CAD, focusing on the interplay of hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes. We performed a metabolomic analysis on 221 participants from four different groups: (I) healthy individuals, (II) individuals with hypercholesterolemia (HC), (III) individuals with both HC and hypertension (HT) or diabetes, and (IV) patients with self-reported coronary artery disease (CAD). Utilizing data from the Qatar Biobank, we combined clinical information, metabolomic profiling, and statistical analyses to identify key metabolites associated with CAD risk. Our data identified distinct metabolite profiles across the study groups, indicating changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism linked to CAD risk. Specifically, levels of mannitol/sorbitol, mannose, glucose, and ribitol increased, while pregnenediol sulfate, oleoylcarnitine, and quinolinate decreased with higher CAD risk. These findings suggest a significant role of sugar, steroid, and fatty acid metabolism in CAD progression and point to the need for further research on the correlation between quinolinate levels and CAD risk, potentially guiding targeted treatments for atherosclerosis. This study provides novel insights into the metabolomic changes associated with CAD progression, emphasizing the potential of metabolites as predictive biomarkers.
