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Metabolomic Signature of Patients With Narcolepsy

Metabolomic Signature of Patients With Narcolepsy

Source : https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000013128

Background and Objective: Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is an orphan brain disorder caused by the irreversible destruction of orexin neurons. Metabolic disturbances are common in patients with NT1 who have a body mass index (BMI) 10-20% higher than the general population, with one third being obese (BMI>30 kg/m2).


Discussion: These results represented the most comprehensive metabolic profiling of patients with NT1 as a function of BMI and propose some metabolic diagnostic biomarkers for NT1, namely glutamate, sarcosine, serotonin, tryptophan, nonaylcarnitine and some phosphatidylcholines. The metabolic pathways identified offer, if confirmed, possible targets for treatment of obesity in NT1.

  • 4yr
    Key Points
    • Source: Nature Communications
    • Conclusions: “These results represented the most comprehensive metabolic profiling of patients with NT1 as a function of BMI and propose some metabolic diagnostic biomarkers for NT1, namely glutamate, sarcosine, serotonin, tryptophan, nonaylcarnitine and some phosphatidylcholines. The metabolic pathways identified offer, if confirmed, possible targets for treatment of obesity in NT1.”
    • Regardless of BMI, the researchers identified common metabolites that at increased levels induced changes in narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) vs controls including sarcosine, glutamate, nonaylcarnitine (C9), 5 long chain lysophosphatidylcholine acyls, one sphingolipid, 12 phosphatidylcholine diacyls, and 11 phosphatidylcholine acyl-akyls.
    • On further analysis, the researchers found that in normal BMI and obese comparisons, shared metabolic pathways which were implicated in differences between the NT1 and control were glycine and serine, arachidonic acid, and tryptophan metabolisms.
    • Metabolites mediating these changes included the following: glutamate, sarcosine and ornithine (i.e., glycine and serine metabolism); glutamate and PC aa C34:4 (i.e., arachidonic acid metabolism); and glutamate, serotonin and tryptophan (i.e., tryptophan metabolism).