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Plasma Lipidomic Alterations in Fontan Circulation Reflect Cardiovascular Functional Reserve
Arun Surendran1,2, Amir Ravandi2,3,4,5, Ashish H Shah3,4,5
1Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, BRIC-Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India.
Metabolites
|September 26, 2025
Summary
Fontan circulation is linked to altered lipid profiles, with reduced lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) and increased phosphatidylserines (PS) observed. These lipid changes correlate with impaired cardiovascular function in Fontan patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Metabolomics
- Lipidomics
Background:
- Fontan circulation is characterized by impaired cardiac output, reduced exercise capacity, and systemic metabolic stress.
- The specific lipidomic alterations in Fontan physiology are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and define the lipidomic alterations in adults with Fontan circulation.
- To explore the relationship between these lipid changes and cardiovascular reserve.
Main Methods:
- Targeted mass spectrometry was used to analyze 291 lipid species in plasma samples.
- 20 adults with Fontan circulation and 20 healthy controls were included.
Main Results:
- Forty-eight lipid species were significantly altered between groups (p < 0.05).
- Reductions in total lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) and ether-linked LPC [LPC(O)], and elevations in total phosphatidylserines (PS) were observed.
- Specific lipids (LPC(O-22:1), LPC(O-20:0), PS 40:5) correlated with stroke index, cardiac index, and VO2max, and could discriminate Fontan patients from controls.
Conclusions:
- Exploratory findings reveal coordinated lipid alterations associated with impaired cardiovascular reserve in Fontan patients.
- These lipid changes offer novel insights into Fontan physiology's metabolic landscape.
- Further validation in larger cohorts is warranted.
