Metabolomics Study Suggests That Patient Gender Should Influence Treatment Options

A recent metabolomics study found significant differences in the concentrations of metabolites between men and women, which lead investigators to propose the development of gender-specific treatments for some diseases.

Metabolomics is the study of chemical processes involving metabolites, while the metabolome represents the collection of all metabolites in a biological cell, tissue, organ, or organism that are the end products of cellular processes.

Investigators at Helmholtz Zentrum München (Germany) worked with more than 3,300 samples of sera that had been collected as part of the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region Augsburg) study. Detailed analysis of these samples yielded results for 131 metabolites, including amino acids, phosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins, acylcarnitines, and C6-sugars. In addition, sex-specific genome-wide association studies were performed.

Results published in the August 11, 2011, online edition of the journal PLoS Genetics revealed that a linear regression approach demonstrated significant concentration differences between males and females for 102 out of 131 metabolites. Furthermore, sex-specific genome-wide association studies showed differences in the effect of genetic variations on metabolites in men and women.

“In terms of molecular profiles, men and women have to be assigned to two completely different categories. That means that we also need gender-specific approaches to the treatment of diseases,” said senior author Dr. Thomas Illig, professor of molecular epidemiology at Helmholtz Zentrum München. “Through the combination of gender-specific evaluation, genetic association studies, and metabolomics we will gain a detailed understanding of how major widespread diseases such as diabetes mellitus develop.”

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