Open AccessWhole-blood metabolomics of dementia patients reveal classes of disease-linked metabolites
Author(s) -
Takayuki Teruya,
Yung-Ju Chen,
Hiroshi Kondoh,
Yasuhide Fukuji,
Mitsuhiro Yanagida
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2022857118
Subject(s) - dementia , ergothioneine , vascular dementia , kynurenine pathway , metabolite , biochemistry , quinolinic acid , chemistry , pharmacology , glutathione , kynurenine , medicine , antioxidant , disease , amino acid , tryptophan , enzyme
Significance Dementia is a slowly progressing, chronic, and usually irreversible decline in cognitive function. Mechanistic causes and definitive treatments remain elusive. Using comprehensive metabolomics, we identified five groups of 33 metabolites (A to E), 13 of them previously reported, possibly useful for diagnosis and therapy of forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Seven A compounds may act as neurotoxins, whereas B to E compounds may protect the nervous system against oxidative stress, maintain energy reserves, supply nutrients and neuroprotective factors. Five metabolites, ergothioneine,S -methyl-ergothioneine, trimethyl-histidine, methionine, and tryptophan, overlap with those reported for frailty. Interventions for cognitive diseases involving these dementia metabolomic markers may be accomplished either by inhibiting A compounds or by supplementing B to E compounds in patients.