April 16, 2024
Since 2023, Afekta Technologies has been one of the beneficiaries of a multidisciplinary consortium on a European research project (human-dn.eu): HUMAN (Harmonizing and Unifying Blood Metabolomic Analysis Networks). Among several aims, the project includes addressing limitations in LC-MS blood metabolomics and establishing workflows for effective blood microsampling (BµS) analysis. The consortium collaborates with beneficiaries, partners, and doctoral candidates (DCs) worldwide. Afekta is training through research one of the DCs, Dennisse Avella, from Colombia. She will get her doctorate from the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research, at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). The UEF is a partner in the HUMAN doctoral network.
Dennisse holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, a Master of Science in Excellence in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Tartu and the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (each.ut.ee/EACH/), as well as years of working experience on chromatographic and spectroscopic analytical techniques. From her skills in analytical chemistry, and Afekta’s expertise in untargeted metabolomics, their main role in the project will be the optimization and harmonization of analytical workflows for BµS analysis.
BµS represents an alternative to venipuncture sampling. Conventionally, several milliliters of blood are collected, and then, plasma or serum is extracted for metabolic analysis; however, the sample collection can be uncomfortable for patients and requires a professional phlebotomist. On the other hand, BµS requires just a few drops of blood from a small prick, they can be collected by the patients themselves, and are less susceptible to degradation or contamination1–3
BµS have been used since the early 60s for blood analysis in newborns; A BµS technique called Dried Blood Spot (DBS).4 However, DBS presents a limitation known as the “hematocrit bias” or “hematocrit effect” that leads to differences in metabolites quantitation. To address this limitation, quantitative devices have been developed. These new BµS devices absorb fixed volumes of samples.5 Some examples are Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling Neoteryx Mitra® (VAMS) (neoteryx.com), and Capitainer®(capitainer.com).
BµS have the potential to support clinical metabolomics and health monitoring for disease or exposure biomarker identification, biological pathway understanding, and targeted studies of metabolites, lipids, peptides, and proteins.5–7 Hence, at the HUMAN doctoral network, using the harmonized untargeted metabolomics workflows for BµS analysis, we will investigate their implementation. To showcase the benefits of doing metabolomics on Blood Micro Samples, and give proof of concept of their applicability, they will be tested in two clinical trials, one dietary intervention and one physical exercise intervention.
(1) Thangavelu, M. U.; Wouters, B.; Kindt, A.; Reiss, I. K. M.; Hankemeier, T. Blood Microsampling Technologies: Innovations and Applications in 2022. Anal. Sci. Adv. 2023, 4 (5–6), 154–180. https://doi.org/10.1002/ansa.202300011.
(2) Uytfanghe, K. V.; Heughebaert, L.; Stove, C. P. Self-Sampling at Home Using Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling: Coupling Analytical Evaluation to Volunteers’ Perception in the Context of a Large Scale Study. Clin. Chem. Lab. Med. 2021, 59 (5), E185–E187. https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2020-1180.
(3) Solheim, S. A.; Ringsted, T. K.; Nordsborg, N. B.; Dehnes, Y.; Levernæs, M. C. S.; Mørkeberg, J. No Pain, Just Gain: Painless, Easy, and Fast Dried Blood Spot Collection from Fingertip and Upper Arm in Doping Control. Drug Test. Anal. 2021, 13 (10), 1783–1790. https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.3135.
(4) Guthrie, R. Blood Screening for Phenylketonuria. JAMA 1961, 178 (8), 863. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1961.03040470079019.
(5) Roberts, J.; Whiley, L.; Gray, N.; Gay, M.; Lawler, N. Advanced Microsamples: Current Applications and Considerations for Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolic Phenotyping Pipelines. Separations 2022, 9 (7), 175. https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9070175.
(6) De Sá E Silva, D. M.; Thaitumu, M.; Theodoridis, G.; Witting, M.; Gika, H. Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling in the Analysis of Endogenous Metabolites. Metabolites 2023, 13 (10), 1038. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13101038.
(7) Skogvold, H. B.; Rootwelt, H.; Reubsaet, L.; Elgstøen, K. B. P.; Wilson, S. R. Dried Blood Spot Analysis with Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry: Trends in Clinical Chemistry. J. Sep. Sci. 2023, 46 (15), 2300210. https://doi.org/10.1002/jssc.202300210.