Metabolomic profiling could identify biomarkers for smoking induced biological changes

Findings, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, report how metabolomic changes (that occur when an individual quits smoking) could explain how some effects of smoking could be reversible. Through metabolomic fingerprinting, scientists have identified specific compounds that could be utilized as biomarkers for smoking induced biological changes.

The team analyzed blood, urine and saliva from 60 male volunteers who had quit smoking and samples were collected up to 3 months after smoking cessation. To ensure study compliance, researchers monitored the levels of carbon monoxide and cotinine as well as controlling volunteer’s diets to minimize the nutritional effects on metabolism.

In total, researchers identified 52 metabolites that were significantly altered utilizing an untargeted metabolic fingerprinting approach. The validated GC–TOF–MS analysis enabled the detection of metabolic profile alterations. Of the 52 altered metabolites 26 were found in plasma, 20 in saliva and 12 in urine. Furthermore, some of these metabolites showed reversible changes towards a nonsmoker’s metabolic profile.

In the future, the team hopes to use these compounds as biomarkers for smoking-induced biological changes.

Sources: Goettel M, Niessner R, Mueller D, Scherer M, Scherer G, Pluym N. Metabolomic fingerprinting in various body fluids of a diet-controlled clinical smoking cessation study using a validated GC-TOF-MS metabolomics platform. J. Proteome Res. doi:10.1021/acs.jproteome.7b00128 (Epub ahead of print) (2017); www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170920113552.htm