Metabolomics for Clinical Biomarker Discovery and Therapeutic Target Identification
Chunsheng Lin,
Qianqian Tian,
Sifan Guo,
Dandan Xie,
Ying Cai,
Zhibo Wang,
Hang Chu,
Shi Qiu,
Songqi Tang,
Aihua Zhang
Affiliations
Chunsheng Lin
Graduate School and Second Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
Qianqian Tian
Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Sifan Guo
Graduate School and Second Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
Dandan Xie
International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, Scientific Experiment Center, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases (First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University), Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China
Ying Cai
Graduate School and Second Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
Zhibo Wang
Graduate School and Second Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
Hang Chu
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Beijing City University, Beijing 100193, China
Shi Qiu
International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, Scientific Experiment Center, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases (First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University), Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China
Songqi Tang
International Advanced Functional Omics Platform, Scientific Experiment Center, International Joint Research Center on Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Hainan Engineering Research Center for Biological Sample Resources of Major Diseases (First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University), Key Laboratory of Tropical Cardiovascular Diseases Research of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Xueyuan Road 3, Haikou 571199, China
Aihua Zhang
Graduate School and Second Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
As links between genotype and phenotype, small-molecule metabolites are attractive biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis, classification, drug screening and treatment, insight into understanding disease pathology and identifying potential targets. Metabolomics technology is crucial for discovering targets of small-molecule metabolites involved in disease phenotype. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics has implemented in applications in various fields including target discovery, explanation of disease mechanisms and compound screening. It is used to analyze the physiological or pathological states of the organism by investigating the changes in endogenous small-molecule metabolites and associated metabolism from complex metabolic pathways in biological samples. The present review provides a critical update of high-throughput functional metabolomics techniques and diverse applications, and recommends the use of mass spectrometry-based metabolomics for discovering small-molecule metabolite signatures that provide valuable insights into metabolic targets. We also recommend using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics as a powerful tool for identifying and understanding metabolic patterns, metabolic targets and for efficacy evaluation of herbal medicine.
