Zeolite Functionalized with Magnesium/Aluminum/Lanthanum Ternary Hydroxide for the Phosphometabolite Profiling of...

ATP upregulation is a significant driver of aggressive cancer cell phenotypes. Phosphometabolites participate in metabolic pathways and are overexpressed in cancer cell activity. Therefore, developing novel and accurate methods for detecting phosphometabolites in biological fluids is essential. In this research, a novel zeolite composite comprising magnesium, aluminum, and lanthanum hydroxides (MALZ) is developed and used for the first time to enrich phosphorylated metabolites via its inherent interaction with phosphate groups. SEM micrographs show a crystalline cubic structure with a small diameter of 36.62 nm. FTIR analysis confirms the phosphate adsorption and desorption using AMP and ATP as the standards. XRD analysis of MALZ provides structural information about the synthesized composite. Adsorption-desorption parameters, such as pH, shaking time, and MALZ concentration, are optimized to analyze the binding capacity of the fabricated material for phosphorylated metabolites. A kinetic study reveals the rapid and effective AMP and ATP adsorptions on MALZ. The multiple hydroxyl groups of ternary hydroxides and high affinity of lanthanum toward the phosphate group enrich 26 phosphometabolites from serum samples of malignant neoplastic patients. The LC-MS profile shows characteristic phosphometabolites that may act as signatures of cancer-related abnormal metabolic pathways. This study may provide an experimental pathway for detecting metabolites in human body fluids.