Serum Metabolomics of Patients with Hepatic Cystic Echinococcosis

Abstract

Hepatic cystic echinococcosis (HCE), a liver manifestation of hydatid disease, is among the 17 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) prioritized by the WHO for eradication by 2025. Although imaging and serological tests are currently the main diagnostic approaches for HCE, they have notable limitations in sensitivity and specificity. Here, we applied liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)–based metabolomic profiling to uncover differential metabolites and highlight disrupted metabolic pathways, aiming to identify candidate biomarkers for HCE diagnosis. Ten patients diagnosed with HCE were enrolled in the case group. Thirteen healthy individuals were included as controls. Serum metabolomic profiling was performed using LC-MS/MS. Differences in metabolite profiles between the two groups were analyzed employing both univariate and multivariate statistical methods. A total of 20 differential metabolites were significantly altered in the HCE group compared to the controls (p < 0.05, VIP > 1.0). Pathway and enrichment analyses revealed that these metabolites were mainly involved in 8 metabolic pathways, suggesting their potential as candidate biomarkers for HCE diagnosis. These findings enhance our understanding of the metabolic alterations associated with HCE and provide a foundation for further investigation into the disease's pathogenesis and the development of metabolite-based diagnostic tools.