LABORATORY OF METABOLOMICS

About the lab

The Laboratory of Metabolomics is a unique workplace that enables monitoring of metabolic processes and characterization of substances in one place, in combination with non-invasive imaging.

Cell metabolism is an essential feature of life and results in the formation of metabolites in a living organism. Analysis of their concentration changes is one of the basic diagnostic tool of modern medicine. Laboratory of Metabolomics offers targeted and non-targeted metabolomics analysis using highly specialized instruments, including a mass spectrometer (with an accuracy of 0.0001 Da) and a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer. We focus mainly on metabolic analyses of low molecular weight substances in tissues, cell cultures and biological fluids (blood plasma, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, tissue extracts, cell media and lysates).

The lab is also equipped with an experimental 7 Tesla scanner based on magnetic resonance enabling non-invasive imaging (MRI) of biological systems but also other types of samples. Imaging sequences allow the monitoring of a wide range of in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro processes and are also suitable for functionalized therapy monitoring using magnetic nanoparticles (theranostics). In addition, using spectroscopic methods (MRS), we can monitor biochemical profiles of the examined tissues, including dynamic pharmacological and metabolic processes in vivo.

Staff

Video tour

Watch a video tour of our Laboratory of Metabolomics.

Laboratory infrastructure

Bruker Avance III 600 MHz NMR spectrometer

MRI / MRS scanner Bruker BioSpec 70/20 USR 7 T

RWD anaesthesia with isoflurane inhalant

Bruker Q-TOF high-resolution mass spectrometer

Virtual tour

Take a virtual tour of our modern Metabolomics Laboratory.

Projects

  1. 1. Project of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic no. 2018/11-UKMT-7, “Mapping the biogenic iron oxides as biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases using advanced magnetic resonance methods.” (The Laboratory is a principal investigator, in cooperation with UHM)
  2. APVV project no. APVV-15-0107, “The role of vitamin D and other markers in relation to the course of multiple sclerosis.” (The Laboratory is a co-investigator, in cooperation with UHM and JFM CU)
  3. APVV project no. APVV-18-0088, “Complete molecular characterization of glial cell heterogeneity and signalling in the process of tumorigenesis.” (The Laboratory is a co-investigator, in cooperation with UHM and JFM CU)
  4. VEGA project no. 1/0230/20. “The role of cholecalciferol and its metabolites in the development of EAE and multiple sclerosis: a translational molecular and proteomic study.” (The Laboratory is a co-investigator, in cooperation with JFM CU)
  5. VEGA project no. 1/0173/20, “Iron and other elements in the CNS as markers of exposure to electromagnetic fields.” (The Laboratory is a co-investigator, in cooperation with UHM and JFM CU)
  6. VEGA project no. 1/0301/19, “Evaluation of cognitive disorders in multiple sclerosis and their relationship to genetic and radiological markers of the disease.” (The Laboratory is a co-investigator, in cooperation with UHM)
  7. COST project no. CA17115, “European network for advancing electromagnetic hyperthermic medical technologies.” (The Laboratory is an MC member of the project, in cooperation with University of Malta)

The most important publications

Antal I, Strbak O, Khmara I, Koneracka M, Kubovcikova M, Zavisova V, Kmetova M, Baranovicova E, and Dobrota D. MRI relaxivity changes of the magnetic nanoparticles induced by different amino acid coatings. Nanomaterials2020, 10:394. doi:10.3390/nano10020394

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/2/394

Baranovicova E, Kalenska D, Tomascova A, Holubcikova S, Lehotsky J. Time-related metabolomics study in the rat plasma after global cerebral ischemia and reperfusion: Effect of ischemic preconditioning. IUBMB Life 2020, 72:2010-2023. doi: 10.1002/iub.2340

https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/iub.2340

Hnilicova, P., Strbak, O., Kolisek, M., Kurca, E., Zelenak, K., Sivak, S., Kantorova, E. Current methods of magnetic resonance for noninvasive assessment of molecular aspects of pathoetiology in Muliple Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci2020, 21:6117. doi: 10.3390/ijms21176117

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/17/6117

Kovalska M, Hnilicova P, Kalenska D, Tomascova A, Adamkov M, Lehotsky J: Effect of Methionine Diet on Time-Related Metabolic and Histopathological Changes of Rat Hippocampus in the Model of Global Brain Ischemia. Biomolecules 2020, 10:1-20. doi: 10.3390/biom10081128

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7465067/

Strbak O, Antal I, Khmara I, Koneracka M, Kubovcikova M, Zavisova V, Molcan M, Jurikova A, Hnilicova P, Gombos J, Kadasova N, Dobrota D. Influence of dextran molecular weight on the physical properties of magnetic nanoparticles for hyperthermia and MRI applications. Nanomaterials 2020, 10:2468. doi:10.3390/nano10122468

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/12/2468

Strbak O, Balejcikova L, Kmetova M, Gombos J, Trancikova A, Pokusa M, Kopcansky P. Quantification of iron release from native ferritin and magnetoferritin induced by vitamins B2 and C. Int J Mol Sci 2020, 21:6332. doi:10.3390/ijms21176332

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/17/6332

Baranovicova E, Galanda T, Galanda M, Hatok J, Kolarovszki B, Richterova R, Racay P. Metabolomic profiling of blood plasma in patients with primary brain tumours: Basal plasma metabolites correlated with tumour grade and plasma biomarker analysis predicts feasibility of the successful statistical discrimination from healthy subjects – a preliminary study. IUBMB Life 2019, 71:1994-2002. doi: 10.1002/iub.2149

https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/iub.2149

Hnilicova P, Kantorova E, Polacek H, Grendar M, Bittsansky M, Cierny D, Sivak S, Zelenak K, Lehotsky J, Dobrota D, Kurca E. Altered hypothalamic metabolism in early multiple sclerosis – MS spectroscopy study. J Neurol Sci2019, 407:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2019.116458

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31622679

Baranovicova E, Kalenska D, Tomascova A, Lehotsky J. Metabolomic study of altered energy metabolism during global forebrain ischemia and ischemic precoditioning in blood plasma in homocysteine treated rats. J Physiol Pharmacol 2018, 69:901-909. doi: 10.26402/jpp.2018.6.04

http://www.jpp.krakow.pl/journal/archive/12_18/pdf/10.26402/jpp.2018.6.04.pdf

Hnilicova P, Povazan M, Strasser B, Andronesi OC, Gajdosik M, Dydak U, Ukropec J, Dobrota D, Trattnig S, Bogner W: Spatial variability and reproducibility of GABA-edited MEGA-LASER 3D- MRSI in the brain at 3T. NMR in Biomedicine 2016, 29(11):1656-1665. doi: 10.1002/nbm.3613

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27717093/