Trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) assay

Test indicators:trimethylamine, trimethylamine oxide, choline, betaine, creatinine, l-carnitine

Sample request: serum

Intended use: for detection of trimethylamine oxide and related metabolites levels

Trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) and trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) and related diseases

Trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) is a flora-related metabolite of intestinal origin that is synthesized in the host liver, and the production of the precursor trimethylamine (TMA) is inseparable from the intestinal flora. Some intestinal floras can produce trimethylamine lyase, which can convert direct dietary intake or indirectly produced choline, betaine, and carnitine into TMAO, which is oxidized by flavin monooxygenase in the liver to produce TMAO.

TMAO and related diseases

TMAO and atherosclerosis: Studies have demonstrated that TMAO is an important prognostic indicator for both short-term and long-term adverse cardiovascular events that are traditionally risk factors, and it is tested in the laboratory in the context of acute coronary syndrome. TMAO contributes to risk stratification for inpatient treatment of acute myocardial infarction, wherein the mortality of patients with myocardial infarction is predicted to be within 2 years, and it is superior to current biomarkers.

TMAO and heart failure: Studies have found that plasma TMAO levels in patients with heart failure are higher than those in the healthy population, and that TMAO has a prognostic function in the assessment of acute heart failure.

TMAO and Alzheimer's disease (AD): Studies have proved a strong positive correlation between TMAO and the development of AD, and it is speculated that TMAO may promote the development of AD.

TMAO and chronic kidney disease (CKD): Studies have shown that TMAO can directly lead to progressive renal fibrosis and dysfunction and may affect glomerular filtration rate. Clinical studies have found that the five-year all-cause mortality rate of CKD patients with high TMAO level in vivo was 2.8 times higher than that of ordinary CKD patients, suggesting that TMAO can be used as an indicator for prognostic assessment of kidney disease.

TMAO and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): Choline is considered an essential nutrient that affects multiple in vivo metabolic processes such as liver lipid and cholesterol metabolism, as well as being involved in signal transduction through lipid second messengers and enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. TMAO can contribute to the development of NAFLD through different mechanisms.

TMAO and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM): The occurrence of T2DM is positively correlated with TMAO, which induces T2DM by blocking hepatic insulin signaling pathway and causing inflammation in adipose tissues, which exacerbates impaired glucose tolerance and hyperglycemia.

TMAO and cancer: The increase in circulating TMAO is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. Some studies have shown that the risk of colorectal cancer increases with higher concentration of TMAO in postmenopausal women with lower vitamin B12 levels. A positive association between TMAO and aggressive prostate cancer has been observed in metabolomic studies.

Indicated for:

• Patients with chronic cardiovascular disease.
  

• Patients with chronic kidney disease.

• Obese people.

• People with a family history of bowel or prostate cancer.

• Medical screening of the general population.