Understanding Metabolic Differences in HIV/TB Coinfection: A Sex-Specific Approach

ABSTRACT: We conducted a non-targeted, proof-of-concept metabolomics study using two-dimensional gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) to characterise sex-specific metabolite differences in HIV/TB coinfection. Since obtaining large cohorts of untreated HIV/TB coinfected patients is challenging (due to immediate “test-and-treat” policies), we employed an innovative dual-experiment design. Experiment 1 analysed individual urine samples from male and female participants, while Experiment 2 utilised pooled quality control samples for each subgroup to mitigate biological variation and bolster statistical power despite the small sample size. This two-pronged approach was intended to provide exploratory but robust insight into sex-related metabolic disparities in HIV/TB coinfection. Our ultimate goal is to inform future work aimed at tailoring therapeutic interventions and improving diagnostic accuracy and health outcomes for both sexes. Experiment 1 compared metabolite profiles between females and males within each disease status separately: HCF vs COF (Dataset 1) and HCM vs COM (Dataset 2). Comparisons were again made between HC and CO within each sex: QHCF vs QCOF (Dataset 3, pooled females) and QHCM vs QCOM (Dataset 4, pooled males). We also performed a four-group comparison (QHCF, QCOF, QHCM, QCOM; Dataset 5) to detect metabolites differing across sex and infection status collectively.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens (human)

SUBMITTER: Bianca Allen 

PROVIDER: S-BSST2139 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other