Mass spectrometry-based fecal metabolome analysis

Publication date: Available online 7 January 2019Source: TrAC Trends in Analytical ChemistryAuthor(s): Jing Xu, Qin-Feng Zhang, Jie Zheng, Bi-Feng Yuan, Yu-Qi FengAbstractThe past decade has witnessed remarkable progress in our understanding of the important roles that gut microbial metabolites play in modulating the human health. The dynamic interplay between the host and gut microbiota is critical for maintaining the host homeostasis. The gut microbial metabolites are increasingly being recognized as an important part of human physiology. The symbiosis between human and gut microbiota relies on the communications with metabolites acting as the important mediators. Analysis of gut microbial metabolites is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms of the interaction between the host and gut microbiota. Feces contain a wide array of metabolites that may reflect the results of nutrient ingestion, digestion and absorption by gut microbiota and the gastrointestinal tract. Analysis of fecal metabolites therefore can provide a non-invasive manner to study the outcome of the host-gut microbiota interactions. It is evident that mass spectrometry (MS)-based fecal metabolome analysis is rapidly growing and covers a broad investigation on the functional roles of microbial metabolites with tumorigenesis, gut microflora activity, diet, lifestyle, and intestinal physiology. In the past several years, considerable advances have been made in the development of MS-based analytical meth...

Source: TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry - January 7, 2019 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research