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Metabolic flux between organs measured by arteriovenous metabolite gradients
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Metabolic flux between organs measured by arteriovenous metabolite gradients

Hosung Bae, Katie Lam and Cholsoon Jang
Experimental & molecular medicine, Vol.54(9), pp.1354-1366
09/01/2022
DOI: 10.1038/s12276-022-00803-2
PMID: 36075951
url
https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-022-00803-2View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Mammalian organs convert dietary nutrients into circulating metabolites and share them to maintain whole-body metabolic homeostasis. While the concentrations of circulating metabolites have been frequently measured in a variety of pathophysiological conditions, the exchange flux of circulating metabolites between organs is not easily measurable due to technical difficulties. Isotope tracing is useful for measuring such fluxes for a metabolite of interest, but the shuffling of isotopic atoms between metabolites requires mathematical modeling. Arteriovenous metabolite gradient measurements can complement isotope tracing to infer organ-specific net fluxes of many metabolites simultaneously. Here, we review the historical development of arteriovenous measurements and discuss their advantages and limitations with key example studies that have revealed metabolite exchange flux between organs in diverse pathophysiological contexts. Metabolism: Measuring metabolite exchange between organs Measuring concentrations of metabolites such as lipids or fatty acids in blood entering and exiting an organ reveals whether the organ uses or produces that metabolite. Organs convert food into metabolites, and specialize in producing different metabolites. These metabolites are then shared among organs; concentrations are tightly regulated, and changes can signal disease. Cholsoon Jang and coworkers at the University of California Irvine, USA have reviewed the development of techniques for measuring metabolites, highlighting key studies that illuminate metabolic roles in disease. They report that recent advances in mass spectrometry permit simultaneous measurement of hundreds of metabolites and that combining these techniques with labeled tracer molecules can reveal specific metabolite conversions within an organ. Future directions include designing less invasive methods, exploring unknown metabolites, and integration with other data, such as genomics.
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Medicine, Research & Experimental Research & Experimental Medicine Science & Technology

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