Zebrafish lipidomics via HPLC-MS and chemometrics: diet and exercise-associated lipid alterations

Abstract

This study aimed to elucidate lipid changes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) samples, providing insights into alterations related to different diets and exercise. Zebrafish subjects were categorized into four groups based on their diet and exercise. In this regard, high performance liquid‑chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and chemometric methods were employed for lipid extracts from zebrafish bodies. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) with ordered predictors selection for discriminant analysis (OPSDA) successfully classified each sample with 100% accuracy. Volcano plots were utilized alongside multivariate analyses to identify variables that were statistically significant. This integrative approach enhances the robustness of our findings, ensuring that the variables selected for interpretation exhibit significance in both multivariate contexts and individual analyses. The most important lipids for classification of each zebrafish group were putatively annotated, providing insights about lipid metabolism changes in different diet and exercise. Findings reveal distinct lipid metabolic responses between sedentary and exercised groups under high-fat diets, highlighting the role of specific lipid classes in obesity-associated pathways and offering insights into potential metabolic targets for obesity management.