Microbiome
20 biomarkers of 4 different classes from 250 μl volume of serum or plasma sample on GC- and LC-MS/MS platforms. Contact our experts for any questions or inquiries.
Why did we design this panel?
We developed this targeted metabolomics panel for investigating the gut microbiome to precisely quantify specific microbial derived metabolites and understand microbiome-host interactions. This panel helps to identify biomarkers for gut health supporting:
Early Detection of Microbiome Imbalances: By identifying changes in microbial diversity or specific microbial populations, the panel can help to detect dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) associated with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), obesity, and metabolic syndrome, enabling early intervention.
Personalized Health Insights: Each person’s microbiome is unique and can impact responses to diet, medications, and lifestyle. The panel can assist personalize nutrition, lifestyle adjustments, and treatment plans according to an individual’s microbiome profile.
Disease Diagnosis and Monitoring: This panel can help diagnose diseases linked to microbiome changes, such as gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune diseases, and mental health conditions. Regular monitoring aids in tracking disease progression and response to treatments targeting the microbiome.
Immune Function and Inflammation Control: Since the microbiome is closely tied to immune health, this panel can reveal microbial imbalances contributing to chronic inflammation, helping to mitigate associated risks and adjust treatment strategies for inflammation-related conditions.
Integrating with Other Omics: When combined with other omics data (like proteomics or genomics), the panel can provide a fuller picture of an individual’s health, revealing how microbial changes affect metabolic pathways and gene expression.
Promoting Gut-Brain Health: Emerging evidence links the microbiome to neurological and mental health. The selected metabolites can help to identify microbiome shifts associated with mood disorders, cognitive decline, and other neurological conditions, supporting interventions that promote gut-brain health.
Applications: Autoimmune diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease (CKD), infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, liver diseases, mental health, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, skin conditions.
SCFAs
8 markers by GC-MS/MS
SCFAs, in particular butyrate, are anti-inflammatory, expand the pool of intestinal regulatory T cells, protect against allergic sensitization, mitigate production of reactive oxygen species, are essential for gut integrity, and exert antiproliferative effects on cancer cells. Butyrate’s effects on the immune system are mediated through the inhibition of class I histone deacetylases and activation of G-protein coupled receptors: GPR109A, GPR41 and GPR43. SCFAs increase insulin secretion (via GPR41/43), and low gut-derived SCFAs have been suggested to be associated with type II diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity and NAFLD.
Acetate, Butyrate, Formate, Isobutyrate, Isovalerate, Propionate, Valerate, α-Methylbutyrate
Indoles
7 markers by LC-MS/MS
About 5 % of tryptophan is catabolized by the gut microbome, generating so-called microbiome-derived tryptophan metabolites collectively referred to as indoles. Microbiome-derived indoles have diverse biological roles affecting health. Some are ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) thereby modulating the immune response, others have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, enhance the intestinal epithelial barrier, increase secretion of gut hormones and stimulate intestinal motility. Indoles are generally thought to mediate beneficial health effects, with the exception of 3IS, a host-microbial co-metabolite generated from indole in the liver.
3-Indoxyl sulfate, Imidazole propionate, Indole-3-acetamide, Indole-3-acetate, Indole-3-aldehyde, Indole-3-lactate, Indole-3-propionate
Choline oxidation
4 markers by LC-MS/MS
Choline oxidation and its related metabolites—betaine, dimethylglycine (DMG), sarcosine, and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO)—are related to the gut microbiome in several ways. Gut bacteria play a crucial role in metabolizing choline into trimethylamine (TMA), which is then absorbed and oxidized in the liver to form TMAO. TMAO has been linked to various health conditions, and the gut microbiome’s ability to convert choline into TMAO may impact the host’s health outcomes. The gut microbiome also influences the production of other choline-derived metabolites like betaine, DMG, and sarcosine, affecting methylation processes and overall metabolic health. The types and activities of gut bacteria determine the efficiency and extent of choline metabolism, influencing the levels of these metabolites in the body, with different gut microbiome compositions linked to varying health outcomes. Lastly, dietary intake of choline and related compounds affects gut microbiome composition and function, creating a bidirectional relationship between diet, the gut microbiome, choline metabolism and host health outcomes.
Choline, Betaine, DMG, TMAO
Amino acid derived metabolite
1 marker by GC-MS/MS
Phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln) is a bacterial metabolic product of phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is initially converted in the gut to phenylpyruvic acid and further to phenylacetic acid, which is conjugated with glutamine in the liver and kidney forming PAGln. PAGln may accumulate in renal disease and therefore is considered as a uremic toxin (2). Circulating concentrations have been related to the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including myocardial infarction, stroke or death, and recently to heart failure and diabetes. Mechanistic studies indicated cardiovascular effects may partly at least be mediated by interaction of PAGln with G-protein coupled adrenergic receptors.
Phenylacetylglutamine