The Multifaceted Roles of Biomarkers in Metabolic Disorders: From Diagnosis and Monitoring to Prediction, Management, and Treatment

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Endocrinology and Clinical Metabolic Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 2619

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
2. Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Interests: obesity; metabolism; biomarkers; tissue metabolism; bariatric surgery studies; type 2 diabetes mellitus; eating disorders (anorexia nervosa); metabolic imaging

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Guest Editor
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Interests: metabolism; obesity; diabetes; MASLD; medical imaging; biomarkers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing prevalence of metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease highlights the pressing need for innovative approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The identification of functional biomarkers, including metabolites, microRNAs, and proteins, is crucial, as they can serve as early indicators of pathological dysfunction and damage, even before the onset of disease. Additionally, investigating the metabolic disturbances caused by drugs, nutrients, and environmental factors can elucidate the underlying biochemical pathways involved in these disorders and their complications. By developing novel analytical methods for biomarker analysis, we can gain valuable insights into tissue-specific metabolic disruptions, which could completely transform our understanding of the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders. Furthermore, studying biomarkers that predict treatment responses and integrating multi-biomarker data offer avenues for the implementation of personalized medicine strategies, ultimately leading to enhanced clinical outcomes. This comprehensive approach holds the potential to transform diagnostics, patient risk assessment, and therapeutic interventions for metabolic disorders. We welcome original research articles as well as in-depth reviews covering these topics.

Dr. Prince Dadson
Dr. Miikka-Juhani Honka
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • metabolism
  • dysmetabolism
  • tissue-specific metabolism
  • cardiometabolic disorders
  • nutritional dis-orders
  • functional biomarkers
  • metabolomics profiling
  • multi-omics data integration
  • biochemical pathways
  • personalized medicine

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1748 KiB  
Article
Lipidomic Signature of Pregnant and Postpartum Females by Longitudinal and Transversal Evaluation: Putative Biomarkers Determined by UHPLC-QTOF-ESI+-MS
by Alexandra Traila, Marius Craina, Carmen Socaciu, Andreea Iulia Socaciu, Diana Nitusca and Catalin Marian
Metabolites 2025, 15(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15010027 - 8 Jan 2025
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Abstract
Background: Pregnancy induces significant physiological and metabolic changes in the mother to support fetal growth and prepare for childbirth. These adaptations impact various systems, including immune tolerance, metabolism, and endocrine function. While metabolomics has been utilized to study pregnancy-related metabolic changes, comprehensive comparisons [...] Read more.
Background: Pregnancy induces significant physiological and metabolic changes in the mother to support fetal growth and prepare for childbirth. These adaptations impact various systems, including immune tolerance, metabolism, and endocrine function. While metabolomics has been utilized to study pregnancy-related metabolic changes, comprehensive comparisons between pregnant and non-pregnant states, particularly using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS), remain limited. Methods: This study aimed to explore the dynamic, longitudinal metabolic shifts during pregnancy by profiling plasma samples from 65 pregnant women across three time points (6–14 weeks, 14–22 weeks, and >24 weeks) and 42 postpartum women. Lipidomics was prioritized, and a solvent mixture was employed to enhance lipid extraction, using UHPLC-QTOF-ESI+-MS. Results: A total of 290 metabolites were identified and analyzed. Our results revealed significant metabolic differences between pregnant and postpartum women, with lipid molecules such as estrogen derivatives, fatty acids, and ceramides showing strong potential as biomarkers. Further biomarker analysis highlighted distinct metabolic signatures between early and late pregnancy stages, particularly in lipid metabolism (with AUC values > 0.8). Conclusions: These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of pregnancy-related metabolic changes and may offer insights into maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Full article
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15 pages, 933 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Concurrent Autoimmune Thyroiditis on the Cardiometabolic Consequences of Cabergoline in Postmenopausal Women
by Robert Krysiak, Marcin Basiak, Witold Szkróbka and Bogusław Okopień
Metabolites 2025, 15(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15010009 - 1 Jan 2025
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Abstract
Background: Untreated hyperprolactinemia and autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s disease) seem to increase cardiometabolic risk. The cardiometabolic effects of cabergoline were less significant in young women with concurrent euthyroid Hashimoto’s illness. This study sought to investigate if the detrimental effects of this condition on cabergoline [...] Read more.
Background: Untreated hyperprolactinemia and autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s disease) seem to increase cardiometabolic risk. The cardiometabolic effects of cabergoline were less significant in young women with concurrent euthyroid Hashimoto’s illness. This study sought to investigate if the detrimental effects of this condition on cabergoline efficacy are also evident in postmenopausal women. Methods: The study comprised 50 postmenopausal women exhibiting increased prolactin levels, with half qualifying for euthyroid Hashimoto’s illness. The subjects with thyroid autoimmunity were matched with those without thyroid disease according to age, body mass index, and prolactin levels. In addition to prolactin, we assessed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid antibodies, and glucose homeostasis markers: fasting glucose, the homeostatic model assessment 1 of insulin resistance ratio (HOMA1-IR), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Furthermore, we assessed plasma lipids, plasma uric acid levels, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fibrinogen, homocysteine, and the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). The decadal cardiovascular risk was assessed with the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Results: Before therapy, disparities existed among groups in HOMA1-IR, HDL cholesterol, antibody titers, uric acid, hsCRP, fibrinogen, homocysteine, UACR, and FRS. After six months of treatment, cabergoline successfully corrected prolactin levels (both total and monomeric) in women without thyroid disorders. This normalization correlated with decreases in HOMA1-IR, triglycerides, uric acid, hsCRP, fibrinogen, homocysteine, UACR, and FRS, as well as an elevation in HDL cholesterol. In women diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, cabergoline’s effects were limited to a reduction in prolactin levels, HOMA1-IR, and UACR, as well as an elevation in HDL cholesterol, with these alterations being less pronounced compared to women without thyroid illness. Conclusions: The cardiometabolic benefits of cabergoline were associated with the degree of prolactin concentration reduction. In women diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, connections were noted between baseline levels and treatment-induced alterations in hsCRP. These data indicate that concurrent euthyroid autoimmune thyroiditis mitigates the cardiometabolic consequences of cabergoline. Full article
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