Serum Lipidomic Profile Signature of Active Acromegaly and Relationships to Cardiovascular Disease
Acromegaly is a rare endocrine disease characterized by multiple metabolic abnormalities and high cardiovascular risk. This cross-sectional study evaluated the lipidomic serum profile of 109 participants (59 acromegaly patients versus 50 healthy controls) via high-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The lipidomic profile that differentiated acromegaly from controls included sphingomyelins (SMs), glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids, ceramides, fatty acids, wax esters (WEs), carnitines, and sterol (ST) lipids. SM 34:0;O2 and phosphorylcholine best distinguished acromegaly patients from controls (VIP > 2.49). SM 34:0;O2 levels were significantly elevated in treatment-naïve versus uncontrolled patients (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). Furthermore, SM 34:0;O2 positively correlated with random GH and IGF-1. Lack of therapy predicted SM 34:0;O2 serum titers in acromegaly. Profound alterations of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids were detected in acromegaly patients with cardiovascular complications. ST 24:1;O3, ceramide (Cer) 38:0;O4, and WE 34:1 were significantly increased in both hypertensive acromegaly patients and those with heart failure in comparison to patients without cardiovascular impairment. In conclusion, SM 34:0;O2 and phosphorylcholine emerged as potential lipidomic biomarkers in acromegaly. Moreover, SM 34:0;O2 potentially reflects disease severity. Identifying lipidomic profile alterations in acromegaly patients with cardiac involvement may provide a basis for further insights into the cardiovascular pathogenesis of the disease.
Authors
- Georgeta Hazi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8435-1750)
- Carmen Socaciu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7352-5057)
- Carmen Emanuela GEORGESCU
- Ana Valea
- Ioana Rada Popa-Ilie
- Andreea Iulia Socaciu
- Thalijn L. C. Wolters
- Romana Teodora Netea-Maier
- Cristina Alina Silaghi
Institutions
- Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
- Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO)
- Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest (RO)
- Radboud University Medical Center (NL)
- Spitalul Clinic Județean de Urgență Cluj-Napoca (RO)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Published
- 2026-01-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27021082
- Primary Topic
- Pituitary Gland Disorders and Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Radboud Universiteit
- Radboud Universitair Medisch Centrum
- Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie Iuliu Haţieganu Cluj-Napoca