PR002287 (Project)

Description:Saliva is an emerging biofluid in metabolomics as it provides a similar window into biological information as blood, while enabling repetitive and non-invasive sampling. Here, the salivary metabolome of 965 children (7-17y) from 2 European countries was comprehensively analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry providing >3,500 untargeted features and 188 consistently detected metabolites. Correlation analysis with anthropometric, mental wellbeing, lifestyle and dietary data revealed that weight status and age reflected the salivary metabolome best, with functional analysis demonstrating alterations in multiple pathways. These findings were replicated in 2 validation cohorts involving 471 children (8-18y) confirming previously reported blood biomarkers and new molecules. For example, acesulfame K, an artificial sweetener detected in all cohorts, increased with weight and mental distress, while correlating to specific food/beverage consumption. Our data offer a high-quality repository of the pediatric salivary metabolome for providing guidance in exploring its association with children's health.