Title:Lipidomics as Tools for Finding Biomarkers of Intestinal Pathology: From
Irritable Bowel Syndrome to Colorectal Cancer
Volume: 23
Issue: 6
Author(s): Lorena Ortega Moreno, Pilar Navarro Sánchez and Raquel Abalo*
Affiliation:
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC),
Campus de Alcorcón, Avda. de Atenas s/n, 28022 Madrid, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Physiopathology
and Pharmacology of the Digestive System NeuGut-URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
- Associated Unit to Institute of
Medicinal Chemistry (Unidad Asociada I+D+i del Instituto de Química Médica, IQM), Spanish National Research
Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Working Group of Basic Sciences
in Pain and Analgesia of the Spanish Pain Society (Grupo de Trabajo de Ciencias Básicas en Dolor y Analgesia
de la Sociedad Española del Dolor), Madrid, Spain
Keywords:
Lipidomics, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, biomarkers, omic.
Abstract: Lipidomics is an emerging and promising omic that analyzes different lipid molecules in
a biological sample. It is considered as a branch of metabolomics, which is defined as the comprehensive
analysis of metabolites in a biological specimen. Nonetheless, in recent years lipidomics is
being considered a distinct discipline in the biomedicine field. Lipids play important roles in many
biological pathways and could work as biomarkers of disease or as therapeutic targets for treatment
diseases. The major lipidomics strategies are shotgun lipidomics and liquid chromatography coupled
with mass spectrometry. Gastrointestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory
bowel disease are chronic diseases that need non-invasive biomarkers for prognosis and diagnosis.
Even more, patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at a significantly increased risk
of colorectal cancer, principally resulting from the pro-neoplastic effects of chronic intestinal inflammation.
Current screening methods utilized globally include sigmoidoscopy, or standard
colonoscopy but it is important to develop non-invasive and accurate screening tools to facilitate
early detection and precise staging of colorectal cancer. Disease progression and response to treatment
may benefit also from the application of these potential new tools. This review is focused on
studies that use lipidomics approaches to discover potential biomarkers for monitoring the mentioned
intestinal diseases and, particularly, tumour progression.
