WaveICA 2.0: a novel batch effect removal method for untargeted metabolomics data without using batch information

Introduction Untargeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is inevitably affected by batch effects that are caused by non-biological systematic bias. Previously, we developed a novel method called WaveICA to remove batch effects for untargeted metabolomics data. To detect batch effect information, the method relies on a batch label. However, it cannot be used in the scenario in which there is only one batch of data or the batch label is unknown. Objectives We aim to improve the WaveICA method to remove batch effects for untargeted metabolomics data without using batch information. Methods We improved the WaveICA method by developing WaveICA 2.0 to remove batch effects for metabolomics data, and provided an R package WaveICA_2.0 to implement this method. Results The performance of the WaveICA 2.0 method was evaluated on real metabolomics data. For metabolomics data with three batches, the performance of the WaveICA 2.0 method was similar to that of the WaveICA method in terms of gathering quality control samples (QCSs) and subject samples together in principle component analysis score plots, increasing the similarity of QCSs, increasing differential peaks, and improving classification accuracy. For metabolomics data with only one batch, the WaveICA 2.0 method had a strong ability to remove intensity drift and reveal more biological information and outperformed the QC-RLSC and QC-SVRC methods in our study using our metabolomics data. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that the WaveICA 2.0 method can be used in practice to remove batch effects for untargeted metabolomics data without batch information.

Automated summary

This study improved the WaveICA method and proposed the WaveICA 2.0 method, which can remove batch effects for untargeted metabolomics data without the need for batch information. In experiments, WaveICA 2.0 showed good performance on metabolomics data with one batch or three batches.