Abstract
Background: Respiratory function shows a large interindividual variability which is related to genetic, developmental and environmental factors. These determinants influence an individual's metabolism, but little is known about metabolic processes and lung function.
Objective: To investigate the association between lung function and metabolite concentrations in adults from a population-based study.
Methods: Spirometry was performed in a subpopulation of the KORA-F4 cohort (1321 subjects aged 41-62 years). In fasting blood samples, over 650 metabolites were determined on two different mass spectrometry based metabolomic platforms. Linear regression models were calculated for each metabolite after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, BMI and batch effects, and the residuals of these models were used to assess associations between metabolites and percent predicted (pp) values of FEV1 and FVC.
Results: We identified 30 metabolites that were significantly associated with lung function indices after correction for multiple testing (q-values ranged from 4.9•10-2 to 3.3•10-4). Of these metabolites, 29 were associated with FVCpp and 23 were associated with FEV1pp. These indices are linked to different metabolites involved in lipid metabolism, tocopherol metabolism and tyrosine metabolism. An association with the xenobiotic pathway was also observed.
Conclusion: The lipid metabolites identified suggest pulmonary surfactant is involved in lung function, as surfactant is mainly composed of different phospholipids and is vital for the facilitation of peripheral air spaces. The observed association with tocopherol metabolism may suggest an importance of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory defence for respiratory function.
- © 2014 ERS