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Daily variation of serum acylcarnitines and amino acids

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Abstract

To characterize daily variation of amino acids (AAs) and acylcarnitines (ACs) in response to feeding and activity, we measured serum metabolites at various times and after various activities during the day. Subjects were admitted overnight for serial serum sampling, collected in the evening (6–8 p.m., n = 40), before rising from bed or eating (8 a.m., n = 40), 1 h after rising but before eating (9 a.m., n = 20), 1–2 h after rising and breakfast (9–10 a.m., n = 40), and at noon (12 p.m., n = 20). Measurements of 15 AAs and 45 ACs were performed by quantitative tandem mass spectrometry using stable-isotope dilution. Coefficients of variation within and between patients were calculated for individual metabolite values and factors derived from principal components analysis. The change of state between timepoints was evaluated by nearest neighbor non-parametric analysis of values at one timepoint compared to the next subsequent value. Relative to baseline a.m. recumbent concentrations, AA concentrations rose after activity and feeding while AC concentrations rose after activity and decreased with feeding. Furthermore, for all AAs, ACs, and their factors, biological variation was quantifiably evident and distinct from daily variation. This study confirms the daily variation of AAs and provides the first report of daily variation for a large panel of ACs. Although standardization of sample collection is highly desirable to control for daily variation (within a subject due to activity or feeding), this study demonstrated measurable biological variability (across subjects) suggesting that non-standardized sample collections could potentially provide insights into specific AA and AC metabolic pathways and disease mechanisms.

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Abbreviations

AC:

Acylcarnitine

AA:

Amino acid

CV:

Coefficient of variation

FA:

Fatty acids

LLOQ:

Lower limit of quantification

MS:

Mass spectrometry

OA:

Osteoarthritis

PCA:

Principal components analysis

SD:

Standard deviation

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Acknowledgments

We are appreciative of the time contributed by study participants. This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health (Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers 5P30 AG028716): National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (RO1 AR48769): and the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes of Health (MO1-RR-30), supporting the Duke General Clinical Unit where this study was conducted.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 3416, 27710, USA

    Dana K. Thompson, James R. Bain, Robert D. Stevens, Christopher B. Newgard & Virginia B. Kraus

  2. Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Richard Sloane & Carl F. Pieper

  3. Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    James R. Bain, Robert D. Stevens & Christopher B. Newgard

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  1. Dana K. Thompson
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  2. Richard Sloane
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  3. James R. Bain
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  4. Robert D. Stevens
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  5. Christopher B. Newgard
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  6. Carl F. Pieper
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  7. Virginia B. Kraus
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Correspondence to Virginia B. Kraus.

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Thompson, D.K., Sloane, R., Bain, J.R. et al. Daily variation of serum acylcarnitines and amino acids. Metabolomics 8, 556–565 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-011-0345-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-011-0345-9

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