Effect of density of bacterial growth on emitted amounts of VOCs.

<div><p><b>1: DSM 44133 (laboratory reference strain), 2: JIII-386 (sheep strain), 3-5: JII-2421, JII-3197, JII-0817 (field strains)</b>. </p> <p>a) 2-ethylfuran b) 2-methylfuran c) 2-pentylfuran d) ethyl acetate e) dimethyldisulfide f) 1-methyl-1-H-pyrrole.</p></div

Principal component analysis on VOCs emitted from 5 different MAP strains and the blank media. 1: DSM 44133 (laboratory reference strain), 2: JIII-386 (sheep strain), 3-5: JII-2421, JII-3197, JII-0817 (field strains).

<p>Principal component analysis on VOCs emitted from 5 different MAP strains and the blank media. 1: DSM 44133 (laboratory reference strain), 2: JIII-386 (sheep strain), 3-5: JII-2421, JII-3197, JII-0817 (field strains).</p

Exhaled volatile substances mirror clinical conditions in pediatric chronic kidney disease

<div><p>Monitoring metabolic adaptation to chronic kidney disease (CKD) early in the time course of the disease is challenging. As a non-invasive technique, analysis of exhaled breath profiles is especially attractive in children. Up to now, no reports on breath profiles in this patient cohort are available. 116 pediatric subjects suffering from mild-to-moderate CKD (n = 48) or having a functional renal transplant KTx (n = 8) and healthy controls (n = 60) matched for age and sex were investigated. Non-invasive quantitative analysis of exhaled breath profiles by means of a highly sensitive online mass spectrometric technique (PTR-ToF) was used. CKD stage, the underlying renal disease (HUS; glomerular diseases; abnormalities of kidney and urinary tract or polycystic kidney disease) and the presence of a functional renal transplant were considered as classifiers. Exhaled volatile organic compound (VOC) patterns differed between CKD/ KTx patients and healthy children. Amounts of ammonia, ethanol, isoprene, pentanal and heptanal were higher in patients compared to healthy controls (556, 146, 70.5, 9.3, and 5.4 ppbV vs. 284, 82.4, 49.6, 5.30, and 2.78 ppbV). Methylamine concentrations were lower in the patient group (6.5 vs 10.1 ppbV). These concentration differences were most pronounced in HUS and kidney transplanted patients. When patients were grouped with respect to degree of renal failure these differences could still be detected. Ammonia accumulated already in CKD stage 1, whereas alterations of isoprene (linked to cholesterol metabolism), pentanal and heptanal (linked to oxidative stress) concentrations were detectable in the breath of patients with CKD stage 2 to 4. Only weak associations between serum creatinine and exhaled VOCs were noted. Non-invasive breath testing may help to understand basic mechanisms and metabolic adaptation accompanying progression of CKD. Our results support the current notion that metabolic adaptation occurs early during the time course of CKD.</p></div

Chromatograms of selected ion traces (m/z 43 & m/z 81) from the headspace of the reference strain DSM 44133 (dilution of bacteria of 10^-2; red chromatograms) and blank media (blue chromatograms). Retention times of marker substances are described in table 2.

<p>Chromatograms of selected ion traces (m/z 43 & m/z 81) from the headspace of the reference strain DSM 44133 (dilution of bacteria of 10^-2; red chromatograms) and blank media (blue chromatograms). Retention times of marker substances are described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0076868#pone-0076868-t002" target="_blank">table 2</a>.</p

Heat-map with all selected VOCs from the five different MAP strains as well as from the media a) quantitative data b) normalized data; Cultures: 1=DSM 44133, 2=JIII-386, 3-5=JII-2421, JII-3197, JII-0817.

<p>Heat-map with all selected VOCs from the five different MAP strains as well as from the media a) quantitative data b) normalized data; Cultures: 1=DSM 44133, 2=JIII-386, 3-5=JII-2421, JII-3197, JII-0817.</p

Exhaled alveolar concentrations of isoprene relative to the BMI in controls (blue circles) and patients (red circles).

<p>Controls (n = 60): r = 0.53, p < 0.001; patients (n = 56): r = 0.47, p<0.001.</p

Exhaled alveolar concentrations of ammonia, ethanol, methylamine, isoprene, pentanal and heptanal relative to the eGFR in CKD patients (n = 56).

<p>Exhaled alveolar concentrations of ammonia, ethanol, methylamine, isoprene, pentanal and heptanal relative to the eGFR in CKD patients (n = 56).</p

Clinical characteristics of patients.

<p>Data is given as median and range. Superscripts denote significant differences between identically labelled groups.</p

Exhaled alveolar concentrations of selected VOC in the study population.

<p>Exhaled alveolar concentrations of selected VOC in the study population.</p

Heat map (A) and PCA score (B) obtained in CKD patients (n = 56) and controls (n = 60).

<p>A: Heat map based on normalized data of 71 mass traces (18 to 373 m/z) in breath of CKD patients (left) and healthy controls (right). Regions with elevated breath VOC levels are shown as red and yellow boxes for patients and controls, respectively. B: PCA score plot (PC-1 vs. PC-2) of healthy controls (blue squares, n = 60) and CKD patients (red dots, n = 56). Red circles represent data from patients with a functional renal transplant.</p