Review Article

Metabolomic Profiling in Perinatal Asphyxia: A Promising New Field

Table 1

Summary of metabolomic studies in animal models of hypoxia/asphyxia.

Author, yearRefStudy populationSpecimenAnalytical platformMetabolite alterationKey finding

Fanos et al., 2014[66]Newborn pigletsUrine 1H-NMR15 metabolitesResuscitation with 21% O2 improves cellular recovery

Arduini et al., 2014[29]Newborn piglets
(12–36 hours old)
Retinal & choroid tissueUPLC-MS/MSLactate↓mitochondrial metabolites, anaerobic shift

Murgia et al., 2013[31]Newborn pigletsUrine 1H-NMRn-Phenylacetylglycine, alanine, acetoacetate, methanol, glucose, sarcosine, succinate, dimethylamine Reoxygenation speed alters metabolite profile

Solberg et al., 2013[35]Newborn piglets
(12–36 hours old)
Retinal tissueUPLC-QTOFMS
UPLC-MS/MS
CDP-choline, acetylcholine, and choline Phospholipid synthesis involvement and neuroprotective metabolites

Skappak et al., 2013[26]Newborn piglets
(1–3 days old)
Urine 1H-NMRAmino acids, energy metabolites, 1-methylnicotinamide & betaineUrinary metabolites identify hypoxia

Liu et al., 2013[34]Mice
(postnatal day 7)
Brain tissue 1H-NMREnergy metabolites, ATP-ADP, valine, phosphocholine, lactate, glucose, and glutamateHypothermia treatment alters metabolites

Beckstrom et al., 2011[25]MacaquesPlasma
(5 min after birth)
2D GC/MS10 metabolitesKrebs cycle metabolites altered and cell membrane disturbance

Solberg et al., 2010[24]Newborn pigletsPlasmaLC-MS/MS
FIA-MS/MS
Alanine/BCAA, glycine/BCAA (correlation ), and carnitines ↓Krebs cycle intermediates & delayed recovery with 100% O2 resuscitation

Atzori et al., 2010[30]Newborn pigletsUrine 1H-NMRCreatinine, methylguanidine, hydroxyisobutyric acid, urea, and malonatePrediction of death

van Cappellen van Walsum et al., 2001[32]Fetal lambsCSF 1H-NMRAmino acids, BCAA, lactic acid, and hypoxanthine Prolonged mild hypoxia leads to energy degradation

Ref: reference; 1H-NMR: proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy; UPLC-MS: ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry; UPLC-MS/MS: ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; GC/MS: two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; LC-MS/MS: liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; FIA-MS/MS: flow injection analysis-tandem mass spectrometry; BCAA: branched-chain amino acids; CSF: cerebrospinal fluid.