Metabolomic studies on the biochemical profile of urine from rats with acute cysteamine supplementation

This study investigates the effect of acute cysteamine (CS) supplementation on rat metabolism. A metabolomic strategy using high-resolution ¹H-NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with principal component analysis was applied to examine rat biological responses to CS administration. Half of female Sprague–Dawley rats (2 groups of 6 rats) were each given doses of 150 mg CS/kg body weight intraperitoneally. Urine samples were collected twice daily (0–8 and 8–24 h) from the rats following CS administration. The identifiable biochemical effects associated with CS supplementation included decreased urinary concentrations of hippurate, succinate, citric acid, and 2-oxoglutarate, as well as increased urinary concentrations of dimethylamine, dimethylglycine, glycine, and taurine. These effects were predominately seen within the first 8 h after CS administration. Clear differences in succinate, citric acid, and 2-oxoglutarate were observed 8–24 h following CS. The results suggest that CS supplementation in the rats resulted in modulation of intestinal microbial metabolism and metabolic perturbation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle.