Testing the limits: Milestone in lipidomics reached

Lipidomics, the large-scale study of cellular lipid pathways and networks in biological systems, aims to understand the role of lipids in health and disease by analyzing their structures, functions and interactions in cells. cells Understanding the upper and lower concentration limits of lipids is essential for scientific progress and technology translation within lipidomics. To do this, the Ceramide Ring Trial was initiated as the first step to address technical replication across a global network of laboratories.

A long term test…

A ring assay is a method where multiple laboratories independently analyze the same samples using similar or different methods to compare their results. It helps assess the reliability and consistency of measurements across laboratories, improving standardization and quality control in scientific testing. After seven years of collaborative efforts, the results of 34 participating laboratories in 19 countries have been summarized in the Ceramide Ring Trial study. To maintain a strict focus while reducing complexity, the Ceramide Ring Trial focused on human plasma/serum and aimed to investigate the concentration levels and their variabilities of four different species of ceramide lipids. Ceramides are actors in multiple diseases and have been associated as biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases. Trial participants used a preferred analytical method and/or a standardized protocol to quantify ceramides in NIST1950 (a human plasma metabolite standard reference material provided by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, NIST) and three materials from additional NIST pooled plasma reference. , by using specially formulated blends of ceramide standards from Avanti Polar Lipids.

… with promising results

“Several valuable lessons can be learned from the results of our interlaboratory comparison,” explains Robert Ahrends of the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Vienna and corresponding author of the study: 1) Standardization is key to reducing variations in proof procedure and reach consensus on the concentrations of the analytes of interest. 2) Obtaining mean absolute concentration levels of ceramides establishes the baseline for future biological and medical studies relevant to ceramide-associated diseases. 3) By comparing mixed plasma samples, the study estimates biological differences between healthy people, people with high cholesterol and different ethnic groups. “This study, the largest public, cross-platform, interlaboratory ring assay for different ceramides in human plasma, sets a new benchmark for the future harmonization of lipidomics research and beyond. We are our most deep thanks and congratulations to all involved in this pioneering effort,” says Ahrends.

For more information, visit the International Lipidomics Society website: https://lipidomicssociety.org/