Open AccessMetabolomic Analysis Uncovers Energy Supply Disturbance as an Underlying Mechanism of the Development of Alcohol‐Associated Liver Cirrhosis
Author(s) -
Huang Ying,
Niu Ming,
Jing Jing,
Zhang Ziteng,
Zhao Xu,
Chen Shuaishuai,
Li Shanshan,
Shi Zhuo,
Huang Ang,
Zou ZhengSheng,
Yu Yuecheng,
Xiao Xiaohe,
Liangpunsakul Suthat,
Wang Jiabo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
hepatology communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2471-254X
DOI - 10.1002/hep4.1699
Subject(s) - mechanism (biology) , disturbance (geology) , cirrhosis , metabolomics , alcohol , energy (signal processing) , medicine , environmental health , biology , bioinformatics , biochemistry , philosophy , epistemology , mathematics , statistics , paleontology
Alcohol‐associated liver disease (ALD) is caused by alcohol metabolism’s effects on the liver. The underlying mechanisms from a metabolic view in the development of alcohol‐associated liver cirrhosis (ALC) are still elusive. We performed an untargeted serum metabolomic analysis in 14 controls, 16 patients with ALD without cirrhosis (NC), 27 patients with compensated cirrhosis, and 79 patients with decompensated ALC. We identified two metabolic fingerprints associated with ALC development (38 metabolites) and those associated with hepatic decompensation (64 metabolites) in ALC. The cirrhosis‐associated fingerprint (eigenmetabolite) showed a better capability to differentiate ALC from NC than the aspartate aminotransferase–to‐platelet ratio index score. The eigenmetabolite associated with hepatic decompensation showed an increasing trend during the disease progression and was positively correlated with the Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease score. These metabolic fingerprints belong to the metabolites in lipid metabolism, amino acid pathway, and intermediary metabolites in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Conclusion: The metabolomic fingerprints suggest the disturbance of the metabolites associated with cellular energy supply as an underlying mechanism in the development and progression of alcoholic cirrhosis.