Metabolomics analysis of gut metabolites in patients with colorectal polyps and in healthy individuals

The aim of the present study was to characterize the metabolomic signatures associated with colorectal polyps (CPs) in the gut. A metabolomics analysis was conducted on fecal samples collected from patients diagnosed with CPs as well as from healthy participants. A total of 60 participants were selected for analysis, including 30 patients diagnosed with CPs (CP group) and 30 healthy individuals serving as controls [healthy control (HC) group]. Fecal metabolomes were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Metabolomics analyses revealed a higher abundance of phosphatidylcholine (PC; 16:0/18:2) in the CP group compared with that in the HC group. By contrast, 6-keto-decanoylcarnitine, trimethadione, aalsolinol-1-carboxylic acid, histidyl-proline, norethindrone, gibberellin A12 aldehyde, 6-isopentenyladenine-9-β-D-glucopyranoside, prostaglandin E2, yucalexin B5 and 5,6-dihydroxyprostaglandin F1a were less abundant in the CP group. Moreover, the CP group showed significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway alterations compared with the HC group, involving 'neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction', 'aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis', 'central carbon metabolism in cancer', and 'phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis'. Notably, PC (16:0/18:2) and prostaglandin A1 could predict CPs, with an area under the curve of 1. The current study showed that fecal metabolites can be used for non-invasive diagnosis of CPs. Moreover, the findings of the present study suggested significant involvement of the aminoacyl-tRNA and aromatic amino acid metabolomic pathways in the development of CPs.