Metabolomics-based analysis of the correlation between lipid metabolites and thyroid carcinoma

The pathogenesis of thyroid carcinoma (TC) involves various factors, with the interplay between hormonal and environmental influences being particularly critical. The gut microbiome, a long-overlooked risk factor, may play a significant role in TC development. Studies indicate that gut dysbiosis, bacterial outer membrane components such as lipopolysaccharide(LPS), and metabolites like Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)and Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) are pivotal in mediating or influencing both gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal tumors. Gut dysbiosis influences TC via microbial metabolites (e.g., LPS, SCFAs, TMAO) that modulate host immunity and steroid metabolism. However, reports on the multi-omics analysis of the correlation between gut microbiota, metabolites, and thyroid carcinoma remain scarce. This study employs a case-control and cohort design, integrating 16 S rDNA sequencing, and metabolomics for multi-omics joint analysis of fecal samples from thyroid cancer patients before and after surgery. The aim was to identify associations between the gut microbiome, functional genes, and metabolites, as well as potential disease biomarkers. Postoperative samples showed significant lipid metabolite alterations (283 upregulated, 269 downregulated; P < 0.05). This paper investigates the correlation between lipid metabolites and thyroid carcinoma through metabolomics-based analysis. Lipid metabolites, particularly cholesterol sulfate, are dysregulated in TC and linked to steroid/arachidonic acid pathways, suggesting potential diagnostic utility.