New Biomarkers for Diagnostics in Metabolic Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Metabolic processes are the essence of life. Thousands of chemical reactions occur in our bodies every second, forming an intricate web of biological processes that keep us alive and healthy.

However, disaster can strike anytime and anywhere. Acquired or congenital abnormalities of substrates or enzymes can affect one or more pathways of metabolic chains at one or more levels, ultimately ending in disease. The genetic substrate is particularly important whether inherited or de novo mutations are involved, as up to now over a thousand metabolic disorders with a genetic background have been identified. The absence or abnormality of an enzyme or its cofactor or a modulator of a metabolic pathway can lead to either the accumulation or deficiency of a particular metabolite. The clinical impact can range from the complete absence of signs and symptoms, to rapid and severe, and sometimes catastrophic, manifestations ending in early death. Considering that several distinct genetic anomalies can be clinically expressed similarly and that some clinical manifestations have a polygenic origin, the diagnostic approach can be tough if we do not have biomarkers available to help us identify the impaired link in the metabolic chain.

Acquired metabolic diseases are just as numerous and diverse. Under the pressure of external stress factors, the expression of genes and/or the activity of proteins can be affected, which leads to the impairment of metabolisms, and finally, to diseases. From metabolic syndrome to vitamin deficiencies, and from serum electrolyte disorders to exogenous intoxication, there is a wide variety of substrate alterations that can lead to organ or system dysfunction. Once again, biomarkers are vital for diagnosis, for monitoring the response to treatment and possibly for establishing a prognosis.

We invite you to share your experience regarding the newest, specific and useful biomarkers for metabolic diseases. Both original articles and reviews are welcome. Our goal is to provide practitioners with a strong reference point for their diagnostic approach in difficult cases of medical practice, and to provide researchers with solid arguments to guide and channel their effort towards insufficiently explored or understood biomarkers.

Dr. Manuela Ciocoiu
Dr. Minerva Codruta Badescu
Dr. Iris Bararu-Bojan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• acquired metabolic diseases
• hereditary metabolic diseases
• biomarkers
• inflammation
• diabetes mellitus
• dyslipidemia
• storage disease