Metabolomic data presents challenges for epidemiological meta-analysis: a case study of childhood body mass index from the ECHO consortium.

Introduction: Meta-analyses across diverse independent studies provide improved confidence in results. However, within the context of metabolomic epidemiology, meta-analysis investigations are complicated by differences in study design, data acquisition, and other factors that may impact reproducibility.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify maternal blood metabolites during pregnancy (> 24 gestational weeks) related to offspring body mass index (BMI) at age two years through a meta-analysis framework.

Associations of maternal plasma and umbilical cord plasma metabolomics profiles with birth anthropometric measures.

Background: The metabolomics profiles of maternal plasma during pregnancy and cord plasma at birth might influence fetal growth and birth anthropometry. The objective was to examine how maternal plasma and umbilical cord plasma metabolites are associated with newborn anthropometric measures, a known predictor of future health outcomes.

Methods: Pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation were recruited as part of a prospective cohort study.

Longitudinal associations of pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain with maternal urinary metabolites: an NYU CHES study.

Background/objectives: Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and pre-pregnancy obesity affect a significant portion of the US pregnant population and are linked with negative maternal and child health outcomes. The objective of this study was to explore associations of pre-pregnancy body mass index (pBMI) and GWG with longitudinally measured maternal urinary metabolites throughout pregnancy.

Subjects/methods: Among 652 participants in the New York University Children's Health and Environment Study, a longitudinal pregnancy cohort, targeted metabolomics were measured in serially collected urine samples throughout pregnancy.

Chemical exposures assessed via silicone wristbands and endogenous plasma metabolomics during pregnancy.

Background: Metabolomics is a promising method to investigate physiological effects of chemical exposures during pregnancy, with the potential to clarify toxicological mechanisms, suggest sensitive endpoints, and identify novel biomarkers of exposures.

Objective: Investigate the influence of chemical exposures on the maternal plasma metabolome during pregnancy.

Methods: Data were obtained from participants (n = 177) in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, a prospective pregnancy cohort.

Two methods for assessment of choline status in a randomized crossover study with varying dietary choline intake in people: isotope dilution MS of plasma and in vivo single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy of liver.

Background: Choline deficiency has numerous negative health consequences; although the preponderance of the US population consumes less than the recommended Adequate Intake (AI), clinical assessment of choline status is difficult. Further, several pathways involved in primary metabolism of choline are estrogen-sensitive and the AI for premenopausal women is lower than that for men.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of liver and/or isotope-dilution MS of plasma could identify biomarkers reflective of choline intake (preregistered primary outcomes 1 and 2, secondary outcome 1).

Identification of Novel Proteins Interacting with Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9.

High levels of cholesterol, especially as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), are a well-known risk factor for atherosclerotic-related diseases. The key atherogenic property of LDL is its ability to form atherosclerotic plaque. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 (PCSK9) is an indirect regulator of plasma LDL levels by controlling the number of LDL receptor molecules expressed at the plasma membrane, especially in the liver.

C-ceramide is a natural regulatory ligand of p53 in cellular stress response.

Ceramides are important participants of signal transduction, regulating fundamental cellular processes. Here we report the mechanism for activation of p53 tumor suppressor by C-ceramide. C-ceramide tightly binds within the p53 DNA-binding domain (K ~ 60 nM), in close vicinity to the Box V motif.

Identifier mapping performance for integrating transcriptomics and proteomics experimental results.

Background: Studies integrating transcriptomic data with proteomic data can illuminate the proteome more clearly than either separately. Integromic studies can deepen understanding of the dynamic complex regulatory relationship between the transcriptome and the proteome. Integrating these data dictates a reliable mapping between the identifier nomenclature resultant from the two high-throughput platforms.

Proteomic analysis of stage I endometrial cancer tissue: identification of proteins associated with oxidative processes and inflammation.

Objective: The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed proteins employing a high resolution mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic analysis of endometrial cancer cells harvested using laser microdissection.

Methods: A differential MS-based proteomic analysis was conducted from discrete epithelial cell populations gathered by laser microdissection from 91 pathologically reviewed stage I endometrial cancer tissue samples (79 endometrioid and 12 serous) and 10 samples of normal endometrium from postmenopausal women. Hierarchical cluster analysis of protein abundance levels derived from a spectral count analysis revealed a number of proteins whose expression levels were common as well as unique to both histologic types.

Synovial fluid proteins differentiate between the subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of inflammatory diseases, and no clinically useful prognostic markers to predict disease outcome in children with JIA are currently available. Synovial fluid likely reflects the proteins present in the inflamed synovium. The purpose of this study was to delineate the synovial fluid proteome and determine whether protein expression differs in the different subtypes of JIA.