The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has numerous validated protocols using spectrophotometry-based techniques to evaluate biomarkers of inflammation, metabolism, liver and renal health, and gut permeability. Below are several examples of routine measures; others are available and custom analyses can be developed upon inquiry.
Cholesterol & Lipids
- Cardiometabolic disorders are characterized by dyslipidemia. The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has established protocols for measures of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, and nonesterified fatty acids. Assays are available to evaluate these markers from serum/plasma derived from rodents and humans and most of these procedures can be readily adapted for the analysis of tissues and cell extracts.
Glucose & Insulin
- Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia are hallmark features of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has high-throughput procedures for measures of glucose by UV-spectrophotometry and insulin by ELISA. Assays are available to evaluate these markers from serum/plasma derived from rodents and humans.
Gut Permeability & Endotoxemia
- Intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) can be evaluated in rodents using FITC-dextran. Its appearance in the circulation following its oral administration correlates with the severity of impaired gut barrier function. The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has a fluorescence-based procedure to measure serum/plasma FITC-dextran from rodents.
- Circulating endotoxemia has received attention because it is implicated to induce low-grade inflammation and be an initiator of obesity and insulin resistance. Circulating endotoxin has also been reported to be prognostic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease severity. The Bionutrition Core Laboratory utilizes a fluorescence-based procedure to measure serum endotoxin from rodents and humans.
Inflammation & Oxidative Stress Biomarkers
- Many chronic disorders and metabolic diseases are driven by inflammation and oxidative stress. The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has several ELISA-based procedures to measure circulating inflammatory biomarkers (e.g. TNFα, IL-6, IL-10, C-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase) and oxidative stress biomarkers (e.g. oxidized LDL, F2-isoprostanes).
Liver & Renal Function
- Activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and circulating levels of bilirubin are common biomarkers of liver health. The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has spectrophotometric procedures to evaluate enzymatic activities of ALT, AST, and ALP and circulating concentration of bilirubin from serum/plasma from humans and rodents.
- Renal health is commonly evaluated by measures of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has spectrophotometric procedures readily available to measure these biomarkers from human and rodent serum/plasma.
Nitric Oxide Metabolites
- Nitric oxide is synthesized from several nitric oxide synthases and has important roles in vascular endothelial function and inflammation. The Bionutrition Core Laboratory has both UV- and FL-based spectrophotometric procedures available for measuring nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite and nitrate) as an index of nitric oxide status from serum/plasma and cells.