Research Information System
FEBS Open Bio, İstanbul, Turkey, 5 - 09 July 2025, vol.15, pp.278, (Summary Text)
Bladder cancer is a common malignancy characterized by
significant heterogeneity in tumor stages. Recent studies suggest
that gut microbiota-derived metabolites, particularly
trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors (carnitine,
choline, and betaine), may play a role in cancer development.
However, their association with bladder cancer remains unclear.
This preliminary study aims to evaluate the serum levels of
TMAO and its precursors in different stages of bladder cancer
compared to healthy controls. Serum samples from bladder
cancer patients at different stages (n=25) and healthy controls
(n=22) were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass
spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Kruskal-Wallis tests, followed by
Bonferroni correction were applied for statistical comparisons
between groups. All metabolites (carnitine, choline, betaine,
TMAO) levels were increased in bladder cancer patients
compared to controls, with the most statistically significant
differences observed in carnitine (p < 0.001), followed by choline
(p=0.003) and betaine (p=0.008), while the increase in TMAO
was less significant (p=0.04). The most pronounced changes
were observed particularly in the T2 stage. No statistically
significant differences were observed among the cancer subgroup.
Our preliminary findings indicate that serum levels of TMAO
and its precursors are elevated in bladder cancer patients, with
betaine, carnitine, and choline showing the most significant
differences. The observed differences suggest a potential link, but
further research with larger cohorts and additional validation
experiments is necessary to confirm these findings. Increasing the
sample size and integrating complementary analyses will be
crucial for understanding the biological significance of these
metabolites in bladder cancer progression and their potential role
in disease characterization.