LC–MS-based metabolomics: an update

• Published in: Archives of toxicology Vol. 88; no. 8; pp. 1491 - 1502
• Main Authors: Fang, Zhong-Ze, Gonzalez, Frank J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biotransformation; Chromatography; Chromatography, Liquid; Disease - etiology; Environmental Health; Humans; Mass Spectrometry; Metabolism; Metabolomics - instrumentation; Metabolomics - methods; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Pathogenesis; Pharmaceutical Preparations - chemistry; Pharmaceutical Preparations - metabolism; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Review Article; Toxicology; Xenobiotics - metabolism; Xenobiotics - toxicity; Metabolomics; Xenobiotic metabolism; Toxicology; Pathogenesis
• ISSN: 0340-5761; 1432-0738
• DOI: 10.1007/s00204-014-1234-6

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS)-based metabolomics can have a major impact in multiple research fields, especially when combined with other technologies, such as stable isotope tracers and genetically modified mice. This review highlights recent applications of metabolomic technology in the study of xenobiotic metabolism and toxicity, and the understanding of disease pathogenesis and therapeutics. Metabolomics has been employed to study metabolism of noscapine, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist, and to determine the mechanisms of liver toxicities of rifampicin and isoniazid, trichloroethylene, and gemfibrozil. Metabolomics-based insights into the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, alcohol-induced liver diseases, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and farnesoid X receptor signaling pathway-based therapeutic target discovery will also be discussed. Limitations in metabolomics technology such as sample preparation and lack of LC–MS databases and metabolite standards, need to be resolved in order to improve and broaden the application of metabolomic studies.