Experimental data

LIPID MAPS NASH study

We used an "omics" approach — profiling liver biopsies, plasma, and urine samples — to detect a reproducible signature of lipid metabolites, aqueous intracellular metabolites, SNPs, and mRNA transcripts in a double-blinded study of patients with different stages of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Using linear discriminant analysis, we identified a panel of 20 plasma metabolites that can be used to differentiate between NASH and steatosis. This identification of differential biomolecular signatures has the potential to improve clinical diagnosis and facilitate therapeutic intervention of NAFLD.

Reference: Biomarkers of NAFLD progression: a lipidomics approach to an epidemic. J Lipid Res. 2015 Mar;56(3):722-36. doi: 10.1194/jlr.P056002. Epub 2015 Jan 17.

Lipidomics studies on human plasma

Centralized studies on macrophages

We performed both lipidomics studies and microarray analysis of RAW 264.7 cells and primary macrophages, using various treatments. These studies were conducted using standardized protocols for isolation, expansion and analysis of primary macrophages and macrophage cell lines. Central preparation of cells enable LIPID MAPS lipidomics cores to characterize lipids under the most uniform conditions possible and allow results in one core unit to be directly compared to results in other core units.

Lipidomics studies on macrophages

Microarray analysis of macrophages

Subcellular fractionation studies on macrophages<

Measurements of lipid quanitities present in various cell fractions (cytoplasm, ER, mitochondria, nucleus, plasma membrane) for control and treatment with Kdo2-Lipid A