Metabolomics and COVID-19
Sars-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus. Thus, the biology is not well characterized yet. Among the issues that we need to understand better are the factors that contribute to the heterogenic outcomes of Covid-19, and the reasons that put elderly populations at increased risk of severe disease courses. Against this backdrop, biomarkers that can be predictive of probable disease progression or the response to a specific course of therapy would be highly valuable to personalize treatments at every stage of the disease.
Metabolomics and COVID-19
Sars-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus. Thus, the biology is not well characterized yet. Among the issues that we need to understand better are the factors that contribute to the heterogenic outcomes of Covid-19, and the reasons that put elderly populations at increased risk of severe disease courses. Against this backdrop, biomarkers that can be predictive of probable disease progression or the response to a specific course of therapy would be highly valuable to personalize treatments at every stage of the disease.
How could metabolomics contribute to COVID-19 research?
The metabolome is highly dynamic and changes in metabolism often precede changes in the clinical phenotype. To shape our understanding of COVID-19, metabolomics could play an important role. At biocrates, we are confident that quantitative, standardized, and targeted metabolomics solutions are the ideal tools to tackle this challenge.
Successful examples for biomarker research in sepsis, pneumonia, and co-morbidities associated with many Covid-19 infections provide evidence of the potential of metabolomics to bring about personalized health care for Covid-19 patients, providing safe and effective treatments to patients.
Metabolomics in patient stratification
Infectious diseases are typically diagnosed by the direct or indirect detection of the etiologic pathogens causing them. Access to rapid diagnostic testing is certainly crucial to controlling the spread of the virus, but understanding the mechanism and the treatment of such disease is the ultimate aim to defeat the threat it poses to our society. If there is a way to predict patient reaction on a pathogen she has been tested positive for, medical systems could be steered more reliably and with reduced cost.
Metabolomics and COVID-19
Metabolic pathways relevant for patient response testing
- Immunity related amino acids and related metabolites (e.g. tryptophan and related metabolites)
- Steroid hormones and other immunomodulatory metabolites containing a cholesterol backbone (e.g. bile acids)
- Lipid inflammatory mediators (e.g. ceramides)
- Metabolites related to mitochondrial function/energy homeostasis (e.g. acylcarnitines)
- Metabolites related to Mode of Action of study drug and/or drug toxicity
Therapy response monitoring in infectious diseases
What do you think?
Can metabolomics help treating COVID-19 patients more efficiently and alleviate the burdons on hospitals?
Relevant Literature
- Prognosis of disease severity and adverse outcome/survival in community-acquired pneumonia and COPD patients
Meier et al., Lung 2017 - Mortality prediction in patients with sepsis and septic shock
Ferrario et al., Sci Rep 2016; Recknagel et al., PLoS Med. 2012 - Diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with heart failure
Cheng et al., J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2015 - Therapy response in early septic shock patients
Cambiaghi et al., Sci Rep 2017 - Very long-chain fatty acid-containing lipids as potential biofuels for successful immune checkpoint inhibition
Mock et al., Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2019
For research use only | not for use in diagnostic procedures.
I think that Coronavirus metabolomics is very important. Much of the damage Coronavirus causes to the whole system on multiple levels, especially the lungs, could be intervened at the metabolite level. I’m looking into drugs that will cause a reversal of the effects of Coronavirus by blocking the metabolite damages and resources from and for the Coronavirus. Please research acrylites as a byproduct of the virus, as well as aromatic chemicals from the breakdown of the virus and infected cells. The aromatics are likely caused by the counter-action of the infection by the immune response, but keep the damage coming forth beyond what the virus does itself.