Salivary metabolomic signatures and body mass index (BMI) in Italian adolescents: a pilot study

Abstract Context Obesity surveillance is scarce in adolescents, and little known on whether salivary metabolomics data, emerging minimally invasive biomarkers, can characterize metabolic patterns associated with overweight or obesity adolescents. Objective This pilot study aims to identify the molecular signatures body mass index (BMI) Italian Methods Saliva samples BMI were collected a subset of n = 74 young adolescents enrolled Public Health Impact Metal Exposure (2007-2014). A total 217 untargeted metabolites identified using liquid chromatography-high resolution spectrometry. Robust linear regression was used cross-sectionally determine associations between metabolomic sex-specific BMI-for-age z-scores (z-BMI). Results Nearly 35% (median age: 12 years; 51% females) either obese overweight. higher z-BMI observed males compared females (P .02). One nucleoside (deoxyadenosine) 2 lipids (18:0-18:2 phosphatidylcholine dipalmitoyl-phosphoethanolamine) negatively related < .05), whereas benzenoids (3-hydroxyanthranilic acid phthalate metabolite) positively .05). In males, several including deoxyadenosine, as well deoxycarnitine, hyodeoxycholic acid, N-methylglutamic bisphenol P, trigonelline downregulated, while 3 theobromine/theophylline/paraxanthine, alanine) upregulated relation females, deoxyadenosine dipalmitoyl-phosphoethanolamine deoxycarnitine metabolite single energy-related pathway enriched (carnitine synthesis, P .04). Conclusion Salivary involved nucleotide, lipid, energy metabolism primarily altered