1 research outputs found
Chemical Exposure Highlighted without Any <i>A Priori</i> Information in an Epidemiological Study by Metabolomic FT-ICR-MS Fingerprinting at High Throughput and High Resolution
Epidemiological studies aim to assess associations between
diseases
and risk factors. Such investigations involve a large sample size
and require powerful analytical methods to measure the effects of
risk factors, resulting in a long analysis time. In this study, chemical
exposure markers were detected as the main variables strongly affecting
two components coming from a principal component analysis (PCA) exploration
of the metabolomic data generated from urinary samples collected on
a cohort of about 500 individuals using direct introduction coupled
with a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance instrument. The assignment
of their chemical identity was first achieved based on their isotopic
fine structures detected at very high resolution (Rp > 900,000). Their identification as dimethylbiguanide
and sotalol was obtained at level 1, thanks to the available authentic
chemical standards, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments,
and collision cross section measurements. Epidemiological data confirmed
that the subjects discriminated by PCA had declared to be prescribed
these drugs for either type II diabetes or cardiac arrhythmia. Concentrations
of these drugs in urine samples of interest were also estimated by
rapid quantification using an external standard calibration method,
direct introduction, and MS/MS experiments. Regression analyses showed
a good correlation between the estimated drug concentrations and the
scores of individuals distributed on these specific PCs. The detection
of these chemical exposure markers proved the potential of the proposed
high-throughput approach without any prior drug exposure knowledge
as a powerful emerging tool for rapid and large-scale phenotyping
of subjects enrolled in epidemiological studies to rapidly characterize
the chemical exposome and adherence to medical prescriptions