1. Metabolomic profile of patients on levothyroxine treatment for hypothyroidism
- Author
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Hicham Benabdelkamel, Malak A Jaber, Lina A Dahabiyeh, Afshan Masood, Reem H Almalki, Mohthash Musambil, Anas M Abdel Rahman, and Assim A Alfadda
- Subjects
thyroid hormone ,hypothyroidism ,lc-ms based metabolomics ,levothyroxine ,lipid disturbance ,anabolic effect ,bile acid ,metabolomics biomarker ,Diseases of the endocrine glands. Clinical endocrinology ,RC648-665 - Abstract
Background: Hypothyroidism is clinically characterized by a decrease in levels of the circulating thyroid hormones namely thyroxine and triiodothyronine. The main treatment for hypothyroidism is thyroid hormone replacement using levothyroxine to normalize serum thyroid hormone levels. Objectives: In this study, we explored the metabolic changes in the plasma of patients with hypothyroidism after reaching a euthyroid state with levothyroxine treatment. Methods: Plasma samples from 18 patients diagnosed as overt hypothyroidism were collected before and after levothyroxine treatment upon reaching a euthyroid state and were analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Multivariate and univariate analyses evaluated data to highlight potential metabolic biomarkers. Results: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics revealed a significant decrease in the levels of ceramide, phosphatidylch oline, triglycerides, acylcarnitine, and peptides after levothyroxine treatment; this could indicate a change in the fatty acid transportation system and an enhanced β-oxidation, compared with a hypothyroid state. At the same time, the decrease in the peptides suggested a shift in protein synthesis. In addition, there was a considerable rise in glycocholic acid following therapy, suggesting the involvement of thyroid hormones in stimulating bile acid production and secretion. Conclusions: A metabolomic analysis of patients with hypothyroidism revealed significant changes in several metabolites and lipids after treatment. This study showed the value of the metabolomics technique in providing a complementary understanding of the pathophysiology of hypothyroidism and as a crucial tool for examining the molecular impact of levothyroxine treatment on hypothyroidism. It was an important tool for investigating the therapeutic effects of levothyroxine on hypothyroidism at the molecular level.
- Published
- 2023
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