Circulating Metabolites Associated with Albuminuria in a Hispanic/Latino Population

Background Albuminuria is associated with metabolic abnormalities, but these relationships are not well understood. We studied the association of metabolites with albuminuria in Hispanic/Latino people, a population with high risk for metabolic disease. Methods We used data from 3736 participants from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, of which 16% had diabetes and 9% had an increased urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). Metabolites were quantified in fasting serum through nontargeted mass spectrometry (MS) analysis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-MS/MS. Spot UACR was inverse normally transformed and tested for the association with each metabolite or combined, correlated metabolites, in covariate-adjusted models that accounted for the study design. In total, 132 metabolites were available for replication in the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network study (n5300), and 29 metabolites were available for replication in the Malmö Offspring Study (n5999). Results Among 640 named metabolites, we identified 148 metabolites significantly associated with UACR, including 18 novel associations that replicated in independent samples. These metabolites showed enrichment for D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism and arginine biosynthesis, pathways previously reported for diabetes and insulin resistance. In correlated metabolite analyses, we identified two modules significantly associated with UACR, including a module composed of lipid metabolites related to the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and alpha linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolism. Conclusions Our study identified associations of albuminuria with metabolites involved in glucose dysregulation, and essential fatty acids and precursors of arachidonic acid in Hispanic/Latino population.