Volatile organic compound and proteomics data from the same exhaled breath condensate sample.

Area of Science:

• Biomarker Discovery
• Analytical Chemistry
• Multi-omics

Background:

• Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a non-invasive source for disease diagnostics.
• Analyzing multiple analytes from a single EBC sample streamlines the diagnostic process.
• Current methods often require separate samples for different analyses, increasing patient burden.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of analyzing both volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and proteins from the same EBC sample.
• To determine if thin film-solid phase microextraction (TF-SPME) for VOC analysis affects subsequent proteomic analysis.
• To advance multi-omics breath analysis from a single sample.

Main Methods:

• EBC samples were collected and divided into two groups: TF-SPME for VOC analysis and non-TF-SPME for proteomic analysis.
• VOCs were analyzed using two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC x GC-MS).
• Proteins were analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Main Results:

• 184 VOCs were found to be more abundant in EBC samples compared to controls.
• No significant difference in the number of detected proteins between TF-SPME and non-TF-SPME groups.
• 144 out of 206 unique proteins were detected in both sample types, indicating TF-SPME does not hinder proteomic analysis.

Conclusions:

• TF-SPME is a suitable method for VOC analysis without compromising proteomic integrity in EBC.
• This study supports the development of multi-omics analysis from single EBC samples.
• This approach offers a more efficient and patient-friendly diagnostic strategy.