Differentiate the biomarkers between preterm and term newborns with the application of tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

Objective To determine the difference in metabolomics profiles between the preterm and the term newborns, and to search for special biomarker by the application of tandem chromatograph-mass spectrometry and metabolomics. Methods The heel peripheral blood samples were collected from 46 preterm newborns and 55 term newborns(term newborns group) in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from January to December 2014.The Tandem Mass Spectometry(MS/MS) was used to generate the metabolic fingerprints of amino acid and acyl-carnitine from the heel peripheral blood.The data collected were subjected to the metabolomics analysis by using the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis to search for the considerable biomarkers. Results Heel peripheral plasma from the preterm newborns group and the term newborns group displayed a clearly differentiated metabolic profiles.Twelve metabolites were identified which possessed the biggest weight discriminating the preterm from the term newborns group in the pattern of recognizing process combined with the metabolites score plot with variable importance plot.The preterm newborns group had the lower levels of free carnitine, succinyl carnitine, tetradecanoyl carnitine; palmitoyl carnitine, hexedecenoyl carnitine, stearyl carnitine, oleyl carnitine, glycine, histidine, and glutamic acid than the term newborns group, while plasma levels of isovaleryl carnitine, arginine were higher in the preterm newborns. Conclusions There was a significant difference in metabolomics profiles between the preterm newborns group and the term newborns group.The analysis of MS/MS combined with metabolomics could be essential for evaluating neonatal metabolic status.Besides, the identified biomarkers were of great value in the further study about correcting metabolic disorders and supplying reasonable nutrition in the early life. Key words: Metabonomics; Tandem mass spectrometry; Peripheral blood; Preterm newborn; Term newborn