Lipidomics Analysis Services

Lipidomics is a discipline that systematically studies all lipids in cells, tissues or organisms. It mainly studies the types, distribution, function, interaction with other biomolecules of thousands of lipids, and their dynamic changes in physiological metabolism and pathological state. The analytical techniques involved include lipid extraction, separation, liquid chromatography, various mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, etc. It is of great significance for in-depth study of various lipids in biological membrane structure, energy conversion, signal transduction, etc., and also has application value in the fields of clinical testing and disease diagnosis. The study of lipidomics not only involves the type, distribution and function of lipids, but also includes an in-depth understanding of lipid synthesis, metabolism and transport processes. These research areas are closely related to biomedicine, drug research and development, nutrition and other disciplines.

What is Lipidomics Analysis?

Lipidomics analysis can provide in-depth information about the lipid composition of biological samples. Through lipidomics analysis, the differential lipids between samples can be accurately and quantitatively screened, and the relationship between these differences and various biological processes and disease states can be understood. First, lipidomic analysis can reveal the type and content of lipids. This information can be used to understand the physiological and pathological states of organisms. Because lipids are not only the main components of cell membranes and lipid droplets, they also play an important role in a wide range of biological processes, such as signal transduction, transport, and biological macromolecule sorting. In addition, lipidomics can provide information about the metabolic status of cells. For example, many lipids can also serve as important second messengers or precursor substances to participate in signaling in vivo.

Fig. 1. State-of-the-art lipidomics analysis technology (Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 2023, 72: 102256).

Lipidomics Service at BOC Sciences

BOC Sciences' lipidomics analysis services provide comprehensive analysis of lipid molecules in biological samples, including identification and quantification of various lipid species, lipid profiling, lipid pathway analysis, and lipid metabolism studies. These services cover a broad range of lipid classes including, but not limited to, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterol lipids. According to the differences in the instruments used and the purpose of the experiment, the experimental design of lipidomics analysis using mass spectrometry as a research tool can be roughly divided into three categories, namely: (1) detection after separation, (2) direct detection, (3) mass spectrometry imaging. A typical lipidomics workflow usually includes four steps: sample preparation, lipid separation, lipid detection and data analysis.

Sample Preparation

During the sample preparation stage, lipids need to be extracted from biological samples using an appropriate solvent system (e.g. chloroform/methanol) or other lipid-specific extraction methods. Samples need to be homogenized before extraction to ensure uniform lipid distribution. If the sample contains protein, it needs to be removed by precipitation or filtration to avoid interfering with lipid analysis. Certain lipid classes may require derivatization to improve their detectability and stability during analysis. Additionally, lipid standards may need to be added to the sample to aid in the quantification and validation of lipidomics analyses.

Lipid Separation

Lipid separation methods should be able to resolve lipid species with similar mass-to-charge ratios. This method is capable of separating and detecting multiple lipid classes, including glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, sterols, and glycerolipids. In general, lipid separation should be compatible with mass spectrometry detection, as mass spectrometry is frequently used in lipidomic analysis due to its high sensitivity and ability to provide detailed structural information about lipid species. Our lipid separation technologies include:

• Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is widely used for the separation and analysis of lipids. TLC is particularly useful for separating lipid classes such as triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols, and for analyzing lipid oxidation products. It is also widely used for the analysis of lipid extracts from biological samples such as blood, tissue, and food.
• Solid-phase extraction (SPE) chromatography is often used in combination with other chromatographic methods to separate and purify lipids. SPE chromatography is particularly useful for purifying lipid samples prior to analysis and for removing interfering compounds from complex sample matrices. It is also widely used for the concentration and enrichment of lipid samples, which can improve the sensitivity of subsequent chromatographic analysis.
• Gas chromatography (GC) is widely used for the separation and analysis of fatty acids and other volatile lipids. GC involves the separation of lipids based on their volatility and affinity for a stationary phase, such as a capillary column coated with a nonpolar stationary phase. Isolated lipids are detected using a detector such as a flame ionization detector (FID) or mass spectrometer, which provides quantitative and qualitative information about the lipid composition. GC is also widely used to analyze lipid oxidation products such as aldehydes and ketones.
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) involves the separation of lipids based on their affinity for a stationary phase, such as a reversed-phase column packed with a nonpolar sorbent. Isolated lipids are detected using a detector, such as a UV-visible detector or mass spectrometer, which provides quantitative and qualitative information about the lipid composition.

Lipid Detection

Mass spectrometry (MS) is the dominant technology in lipidomics research. Our wide range of mass spectrometry-based detection technologies include liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), direct injection mass spectrometry (DI-MS), etc. In addition, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy are also used at BOC Sciences for qualitative, quantitative, and structural identification of lipids. Our lipid identification assays include:

• Fatty acids
• Glycerolipids
• Glycerophospholipids
• Sphingolipids
• Sterol lipids
• Prenol lipids
• Saccharolipids
• Polyketides
• Phospholipids

Data Analysis

The choice of data analysis method mostly depends on the available methods, software, and database information for lipid identification. In addition, more and more studies also require the integration of lipidomics data results with the results of other systems biology (such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc.), not only to enable lipidomics to fully observe the changes of lipid compounds of interest, but also to explain the role of lipids in complex molecular biological networks. We have powerful bioinformatics tools and databases to analyze lipid profiles and pathways. Our team can help make sense of the complex data generated by lipidomic analysis and provide useful insights into lipid metabolism and function.

Advantages of Our Lipidomics Analysis

• Comprehensive analysis platform: Providing comprehensive analysis of lipid molecules, including identification, quantification and characterization of lipid species.
• State-of-the-art analytical technology: Utilizing cutting-edge technology and advanced analytical instrumentation to ensure accurate and reliable lipidomics analysis, including mass spectrometry, chromatography and bioinformatics tools for data processing and interpretation.
• One-stop custom method design: Tailored to meet each client's specific needs, whether for a specific lipid class, sample type or research question.
• Accelerate research: By outsourcing lipidomics analysis to BOC Sciences, researchers save time and resources, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their research.
• Data interpretation and reporting: Comprehensive data interpretation and reporting, including detailed analysis of chromatograms, statistical analysis, and visualization of results.

Lipidomics can be used to study diseases related to lipid metabolism. Many diseases are related to abnormal lipid metabolism, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc. By analyzing the lipidomics of patients with these diseases, we can understand the pathogenesis of these diseases, discover new therapeutic targets, and provide new ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Based on this, BOC Sciences is committed to providing one-stop lipidomics analysis services to support your research needs. In addition, we provide liposome encapsulation and lipid formulation development services.

Reference

1. Kostidis, S. et al. Lipidomics analysis in drug discovery and development. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 2023, 72: 102256.