Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in mice

Abstract SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin), the active metabolite of irinotecan, is a crucial anticancer agent frequently studied in drug delivery systems. Irinotecan (CPT-11) is used to treat various solid tumors but is associated with adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and st...

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Main Authors: Xiaodong Zhu, Ya Huang, Jianguo Liu, Bo Kong, Changmeng Cui, Guangkui Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01753-1
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author Xiaodong Zhu
Ya Huang
Jianguo Liu
Bo Kong
Changmeng Cui
Guangkui Han
author_facet Xiaodong Zhu
Ya Huang
Jianguo Liu
Bo Kong
Changmeng Cui
Guangkui Han
author_sort Xiaodong Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin), the active metabolite of irinotecan, is a crucial anticancer agent frequently studied in drug delivery systems. Irinotecan (CPT-11) is used to treat various solid tumors but is associated with adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and steatohepatitis. However, the precise biochemical pathways underlying these side effects remain unclear. To explore SN-38’s toxic mechanisms and provide insights for clinical applications of SN-38 delivery systems, we performed untargeted metabolomics to assess metabolic changes in the lungs, heart, stomach, blood, spleen, intestine, liver, and kidneys of SN-38-exposed male mice. Mice were divided into two groups: SN-38 (20 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal) and control (blank solvent). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified significant metabolic disturbances in all tissues. Specifically, 24, 15, 12, 21, 35, 26, 18, and 28 differential metabolites were detected in the lungs, heart, stomach, blood, spleen, intestine, liver, and kidneys, respectively. KEGG pathway enrichment revealed significant changes in metabolic pathways across these organs, particularly in purine, pyrimidine, amino acid, and glyceric acid metabolism, implicating disruptions in protein synthesis, cellular homeostasis, energy metabolism, and antioxidant defenses. This study is the first to characterize SN-38’s multi-organ toxicity using metabolomics.
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spelling doaj-art-0d8b28ebd64d47618dae14c8529931c92025-08-20T03:10:17ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-01753-1Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in miceXiaodong Zhu0Ya Huang1Jianguo Liu2Bo Kong3Changmeng Cui4Guangkui Han5Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical UniversityCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Polytechnic CollegeDepartment of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical UniversityAbstract SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin), the active metabolite of irinotecan, is a crucial anticancer agent frequently studied in drug delivery systems. Irinotecan (CPT-11) is used to treat various solid tumors but is associated with adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and steatohepatitis. However, the precise biochemical pathways underlying these side effects remain unclear. To explore SN-38’s toxic mechanisms and provide insights for clinical applications of SN-38 delivery systems, we performed untargeted metabolomics to assess metabolic changes in the lungs, heart, stomach, blood, spleen, intestine, liver, and kidneys of SN-38-exposed male mice. Mice were divided into two groups: SN-38 (20 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal) and control (blank solvent). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified significant metabolic disturbances in all tissues. Specifically, 24, 15, 12, 21, 35, 26, 18, and 28 differential metabolites were detected in the lungs, heart, stomach, blood, spleen, intestine, liver, and kidneys, respectively. KEGG pathway enrichment revealed significant changes in metabolic pathways across these organs, particularly in purine, pyrimidine, amino acid, and glyceric acid metabolism, implicating disruptions in protein synthesis, cellular homeostasis, energy metabolism, and antioxidant defenses. This study is the first to characterize SN-38’s multi-organ toxicity using metabolomics.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01753-1SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin)Toxicity mechanismGas chromatography mass spectrometryMetabolomics
spellingShingle Xiaodong Zhu
Ya Huang
Jianguo Liu
Bo Kong
Changmeng Cui
Guangkui Han
Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in mice
Scientific Reports
SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin)
Toxicity mechanism
Gas chromatography mass spectrometry
Metabolomics
title Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in mice
title_full Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in mice
title_fullStr Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in mice
title_full_unstemmed Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in mice
title_short Comprehensive metabolomics study identifies SN-38 organ specific toxicity in mice
title_sort comprehensive metabolomics study identifies sn 38 organ specific toxicity in mice
topic SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin)
Toxicity mechanism
Gas chromatography mass spectrometry
Metabolomics
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01753-1
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