Metabolomic analysis of serum from obese adults with hyperlipemia by UHPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS.

The prevalence of obesity has dramatically increased and poses a major threat to human health. Obesity often accompanies hyperlipemia, which is strongly related to the occurrence and development of obesity-related chronic diseases. Differences in metabolomic profiling of serum between obese (with hyperlipemia) and normal-weight men (n = 30 in each group) were investigated using ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS) and partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Obese men showed higher levels of weight, body mass index, fat mass, systolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyeride, total cholesterol, insulin, HOMA-IR and high-sensitivity CRP. Obese and normal-weight groups were clearly discriminated from each other on a PLS-DA score plot and nine major metabolites contributing to the discrimination were assigned, including increased 2-octenoylcarnitine, eicosadienoic acid, 12-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid, 4-hydroxyestrone sulfate, lysoPE[18:1(11Z)/0:0], thromboxane B2 and pyridinoline and decreased vitamin D3 glucosiduronate and 9,10-DHOME. These metabolites were associated with lipid metabolism and obesity-related diseases, and reflected the metabolic differences between normal and obese men, which may be important for future clinical diagnosis, treatment and assessment of the therapeutic effect on obesity-related chronic disease.