Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> Infection

Babesiosis is a significant vector-borne zoonotic disease with major global economic and health implications, affecting various vertebrate hosts. Babesia parasites are auxotrophic for essential nutrients, relying on their hosts for metabolic support. This study investigated salivary metabolomic chan...

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Main Authors: Josipa Kuleš, Ivana Rubić, Dina Rešetar Maslov, Maša Efendić, Krešimir Martinković, Elizabeta Pongrac, Iva Šmit, Dalibor Potočnjak, Renata Barić Rafaj, Vladimir Mrljak
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Biomolecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/520
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author Josipa Kuleš
Ivana Rubić
Dina Rešetar Maslov
Maša Efendić
Krešimir Martinković
Elizabeta Pongrac
Iva Šmit
Dalibor Potočnjak
Renata Barić Rafaj
Vladimir Mrljak
author_facet Josipa Kuleš
Ivana Rubić
Dina Rešetar Maslov
Maša Efendić
Krešimir Martinković
Elizabeta Pongrac
Iva Šmit
Dalibor Potočnjak
Renata Barić Rafaj
Vladimir Mrljak
author_sort Josipa Kuleš
collection DOAJ
description Babesiosis is a significant vector-borne zoonotic disease with major global economic and health implications, affecting various vertebrate hosts. Babesia parasites are auxotrophic for essential nutrients, relying on their hosts for metabolic support. This study investigated salivary metabolomic changes in dogs naturally infected with <i>Babesia canis</i> (N = 14) compared to healthy controls (N = 14) using untargeted and targeted mass spectrometry-based approaches. Saliva, a biofluid rich in metabolites, undergoes alterations in response to systemic diseases, making it a promising medium for studying host–pathogen interactions. Metabolomic profiling was performed using a Dionex UltiMate 3000 UHPLC system coupled with a Thermo Orbitrap Q Exactive mass spectrometer. An untargeted analysis detected 2257 salivary features, of which, 868 were significantly altered, with seven metabolites identified by reference to standards. A targeted analysis revealed significant changes in seven metabolites. Functional bioinformatics indicated disruptions in amino acid, nucleotide, and lipid metabolism, alongside alterations in energy production pathways, and purine metabolism. These findings provide critical insights into the metabolic shifts underlying canine babesiosis, supporting the development of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the future. This study highlights the intricate interplay between host and pathogen, particularly in nutrient acquisition and metabolic regulation.
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spelling doaj-art-c928863cf09d45fbb9a03e176e9d66732025-08-20T02:24:42ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2025-04-0115452010.3390/biom15040520Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> InfectionJosipa Kuleš0Ivana Rubić1Dina Rešetar Maslov2Maša Efendić3Krešimir Martinković4Elizabeta Pongrac5Iva Šmit6Dalibor Potočnjak7Renata Barić Rafaj8Vladimir Mrljak9Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaInternal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaInternal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaInternal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaInternal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaInternal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaInternal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaInternal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaBabesiosis is a significant vector-borne zoonotic disease with major global economic and health implications, affecting various vertebrate hosts. Babesia parasites are auxotrophic for essential nutrients, relying on their hosts for metabolic support. This study investigated salivary metabolomic changes in dogs naturally infected with <i>Babesia canis</i> (N = 14) compared to healthy controls (N = 14) using untargeted and targeted mass spectrometry-based approaches. Saliva, a biofluid rich in metabolites, undergoes alterations in response to systemic diseases, making it a promising medium for studying host–pathogen interactions. Metabolomic profiling was performed using a Dionex UltiMate 3000 UHPLC system coupled with a Thermo Orbitrap Q Exactive mass spectrometer. An untargeted analysis detected 2257 salivary features, of which, 868 were significantly altered, with seven metabolites identified by reference to standards. A targeted analysis revealed significant changes in seven metabolites. Functional bioinformatics indicated disruptions in amino acid, nucleotide, and lipid metabolism, alongside alterations in energy production pathways, and purine metabolism. These findings provide critical insights into the metabolic shifts underlying canine babesiosis, supporting the development of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the future. This study highlights the intricate interplay between host and pathogen, particularly in nutrient acquisition and metabolic regulation.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/520vector-borne diseasessaliva metabolomedog
spellingShingle Josipa Kuleš
Ivana Rubić
Dina Rešetar Maslov
Maša Efendić
Krešimir Martinković
Elizabeta Pongrac
Iva Šmit
Dalibor Potočnjak
Renata Barić Rafaj
Vladimir Mrljak
Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> Infection
Biomolecules
vector-borne diseases
saliva metabolome
dog
title Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> Infection
title_full Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> Infection
title_fullStr Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> Infection
title_full_unstemmed Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> Infection
title_short Metabolomics Insights into Salivary Profile in Dogs with <i>Babesia canis</i> Infection
title_sort metabolomics insights into salivary profile in dogs with i babesia canis i infection
topic vector-borne diseases
saliva metabolome
dog
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/520
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