Untargeted metabolomics reveals postoperative metabolic dynamics in hepatic cystic echinococcosis patients

Hepatic cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus and remains a significant global zoonosis, particularly in pastoral regions of northwest China. Current diagnostic and postoperative evaluation methods, including imaging, serology, and molecular techniques, lack non-invasive, cost-effective serum biomarkers with high diagnostic accuracy.

This study aimed to investigate dynamic metabolic changes before and after surgery in CE patients using untargeted metabolomics analysis.

Serum metabolites from CE patients were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and quadrupole time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry. Samples were collected preoperatively and at 1, 4, and 12 weeks postoperatively, alongside samples from healthy controls. Four comparisons were made: preoperative patients vs. healthy controls, and postoperative samples at 1, 4, and 12 weeks vs. preoperative samples. Differential metabolites were identified using bioinformatics analysis, followed by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. The key metabolic pathways associated with postoperative recovery were determined by identifying shared enriched pathways across all comparisons. Metabolites in these pathways were further validated using ELISA.

The highest number of differential metabolites was observed between preoperative CE patients and healthy controls. Postoperatively, metabolic differences increased with time. KEGG pathway enrichment revealed significant alterations in linoleic acid and arachidonic acid metabolism, both of which are linked to inflammation. ELISA confirmed elevated preoperative levels of leukotrienes, prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and inflammatory cytokines IL-5 and IL-23, which significantly declined after surgery in a time-dependent manner.

Untargeted metabolomics identified metabolites closely associated with the arachidonic acid pathway as potential biomarkers for CE diagnosis and postoperative recovery monitoring. These findings provide a foundation for developing non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tools for hepatic cystic echinococcosis.