Analysis of metabolic disturbances attributable to sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction using metabolomics and transcriptomics techniques

Background: Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD) is the most common and severe sepsis-related organ dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the metabolic changes occurring in the hearts of patients suffering from SIMD. Methods: An animal SIMD model was constructed by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into mice intraperitoneally. Metabolites and transcripts present in the cardiac tissues of mice in the experimental and control groups were extracted, and the samples were studied following the untargeted metabolomics–transcriptomics high-throughput sequencing method. SIMD-related metabolites were screened following univariate and multi-dimensional analyses methods. Additionally, differential analysis of gene expression was performed using the DESeq package. Finally, metabolites and their associated transcripts were mapped to the relevant metabolic pathways after extracting transcripts corresponding to relevant enzymes. The process was conducted based on the metabolite information present in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Results: One hundred and eighteen significant differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) (58 under the cationic mode and 60 under the anionic mode) were identified by studying the SIMD and control groups. Additionally, 3,081 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (1,364 were down-regulated and 1717 were up-regulated DEGs) were identified in the transcriptomes. The comparison was made between the two groups. The metabolomics–transcriptomics combination analysis of metabolites and their associated transcripts helped identify five metabolites (d-mannose, d-glucosamine 6-phosphate, maltose, alpha-linolenic acid, and adenosine 5′-diphosphate). Moreover, irregular and unusual events were observed during the processes of mannose metabolism, amino sugar metabolism, starch metabolism, unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, platelet activation, and purine metabolism. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathways were also accompanied by aberrant events. Conclusion: Severe metabolic disturbances occur in the cardiac tissues of model mice with SIMD. This can potentially help in developing the SIMD treatment methods.