Role of NMR metabonomics in Celiac Disease (CeD)

Metabonomics study provides a comprehensive metabolic profile of biological samples using techniques like mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The metabolites identified are later analysed using mul- tivariate statistical methods. Metabonomics has the potential to provide putative biomarker/s for disease diagnosis and for monitoring the disease progression and can be used in patient management. Recently, a few metabonomics studies have been reported on blood sera, urine and intestinal mucosal biopsies of celiac disease (CeD) patients using proton NMR. Significantly decreased levels of amino acids, methylamine, lactate, lipids, pyruvate, creatinine, choline and glycoprotein and increased levels of glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate have been reported in blood sera of CeD patients. In intestinal mucosal biopsies of CeD patients, a higher concentration of isoleucine, leucine, aspartate, succinate and pyruvate and lower concentration of glycerophosphocholine was seen as compared to controls. These studies indicates that the metabonomics study of CeD using in-vitro NMR spectroscopy helps in the determination of metabolic signature/s of the disease. It also provides an insight into the biochemistry of the disease and also helps in the identification of metabolites that could serve as putative biomarker/s for the diagnosis of CeD. This review focuses on the application of NMR based metabonomics in CeD and highlights the potential of NMR based metabonomics in the identification of biomarker/s for diagnosis and prognosis.