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RESEARCH PRODUCT

The Gut Microbial Metabolite Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Is Present in Human Cerebrospinal Fluid

Andrea ZiniPaolo CaffarraFrancesca ZimettiMichele TassottiDaniele Del RioIlaria ZanottiFranco BerniniFurio Brighenti

subject

0301 basic medicineMalemedicine.medical_specialtyMetaboliteCentral nervous systemTrimethylamine N-oxidelcsh:TX341-641Gut floraSpinal Puncturetrimethylamine-N-oxideMass Spectrometry03 medical and health scienceschemistry.chemical_compoundMethylamines0302 clinical medicineCerebrospinal fluidAlzheimer DiseasePredictive Value of TestsInternal medicinemedicineCholineHumansCarnitineAgedAged 80 and overNutrition and DieteticsbiologyBacteriagut microbiotaCommunicationMiddle Agedbiology.organism_classificationcentral nervous systemGastrointestinal MicrobiomeIntestines030104 developmental biologyEndocrinologymedicine.anatomical_structurechemistryBiochemistryDementiaFemalelcsh:Nutrition. Foods and food supply030217 neurology & neurosurgeryDrug metabolismFood Sciencemedicine.drugChromatography Liquid

description

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is a small organic molecule, derived from the intestinal and hepatic metabolism of dietary choline and carnitine. Although the involvement of TMAO in the framework of many chronic diseases has been recently described, no evidence on its putative role in the central nervous system has been provided. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether TMAO is present at detectable levels in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF was collected for diagnostic purposes from 58 subjects by lumbar puncture and TMAO was quantified by using liquid chromatography coupled with multiple-reaction monitoring mass spectrometry. The molecule was detected in all samples, at concentrations ranging between 0.11 and 6.43 µmol/L. Further analysis on CSF revealed that a total of 22 subjects were affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 16 were affected by non-AD related dementia, and 20 were affected by other neurological disorders. However, the stratification of TMAO levels according to the neurological diagnoses revealed no differences among the three groups. In conclusion, we provide the first evidence that TMAO can be assessed in human CSF, but the actual impact of this dietary metabolite in the patho-physiolgy of the central nervous system requires further study.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2017-08-18Nutrients
10.3390/nu9101053https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/10/1053