What’s the Deal with Lipidomics?
If we talk about „hypes“ in the field of chemical analysis, we can say that there is currently a lot of discussion about „lipidomics.“ Read our article to find out what lipidomics is, why it is generating so much hype, and what the current challenges are that the chemical community faces in lipid research.
As the name suggests, „lipidomics“ deals with the study of lipids, i.e., fats. As a subfield of metabolomics, it specifically focuses on the fats present in human (or animal) organisms and their role in cell signaling, hormone regulation, and as biomarkers for diseases. It is already known, for example, that lipids are involved in metabolic processes related to diseases such as diabetes, cancer, or Parkinson’s.
Lipids: The chemistry of life?
By gaining a comprehensive view of the lipid profile within cells and tissues, researchers hope to uncover novel biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and develop personalized treatment strategies. The prospect of making groundbreaking discoveries is driving research in this field. The potential is immense, as there are hundreds of different lipids to identify, quantify, and classify. However, this alone is not the biggest challenge that the field of lipidomics currently faces.
Methods for Lipid Detection
The incredible diversity of lipids makes it difficult to establish a standard method for their analysis. There is simply no one-size-fits-all method. Typically, liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization (ESI) and mass spectrometry is used in lipid research. However, due to the structural diversity of lipids, not all lipid molecules can be equally ionized by ESI and measured in the mass spectrometer. This often leads to ion suppression, multiple charge states, and increased in-source fragmentation. Additionally, the range of ionization obtained does not fully cover both non-polar and highly polar lipids in a single method.
Room for enhancement
The limitations of the current standard method show that the common procedures are still in their infancy. In order to fully harness the potential of lipid research, analytical techniques must continue to evolve.
In our latest app note LC-SICRIT®-HRMS Analysis of Non-Polar Lipids featuring Shimadzu Nexera LC and 9030 LC-MS QToF we demonstrate that our LC module, in combination with the SICRIT® ion source (instead of ESI), addresses some of these drawbacks.
In doing so, we contribute to the advancement of lipid analysis and provide researchers with new tools that, in turn, will assist them in their discoveries. It’s a small but important step towards further exploration of currently incurable diseases.
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