Serum metabolites associate with lipid phenotypes among Bogalusa Heart Study participants

Background and aims: Dyslipidemia has been identified as amajor risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We aimed to identifymetabolites and metabolite modules showing novel association with lipids among Bogalusa Heart Study (BHS) participants using untargeted metabolomics. Methods and results: Untargeted ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy was used to quantify serum metabolites of 1 243 BHS participants (816 whites and 427 African-Americans). The association of single metabolites with lipids was assessed using multiple linear regression models to adjust for covariables. Weighted correlation network analysis was utilized to identify modules of co-abundant metabolites and examine their covariable adjusted correlations with lipids. All analyses were conducted according to race and using Bonferroni-corrected alpha-thresholds to determine statistical significance. Thirteen metabolites with known biochemical identities showing novel association achieved Bonferroni-significance, p < 1.04 x 10(-5), and showed consistent effect directions in both whites and African-Americans. Twelve were from lipid sub-pathways including fatty acid metabolism(arachidonoylcholine, dihomo-linolenoyl-choline, docosahexaenoylcholine, linoleoylcholine, oleoylcholine, palmitoylcholine, and stearoylcholine), monohydroxy fatty acids (2-hydroxybehenate, 2-hydroxypalmitate, and 2-hydroxystearate), and lysoplasmalogens [1-(1-enyl-oleoyl)-GPE (P-18:1) and 1-(1-enyl-stearoyl)-GPE (P-18:0)]. The gamma-glutamylglutamine, peptide from the gammaglutamyl amino acid sub-pathway, were also identified. In addition, four metabolite modules achieved Bonferroni-significance, p< 1.39 x 10(-3), in bothwhites and African-Americans. These four modules were largely comprised of metabolites from lipid sub-pathways, with one module comprised of metabolites which were not identified in the single metabolite analyses. Conclusion: The current study identified 13 metabolites and 4 metabolite modules showing novel association with lipids, providing new insights into the physiological mechanisms regulating lipid levels. (C) 2020 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study ofAtherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.