Metabolomics for identification of predictive and early diagnostic biomarkers of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in adult head and neck cancer patients

Aim: Cisplatin causes acute kidney injury (AKI) in approximately one-third of patients. Serum creatinine and urinary output are poor markers of cisplatin-induced (AKI). Metabolomics was utilized to identify predictive or early diagnostic biomarkers of cisplatin-induced AKI. Methods: Thirty-one adult head and neck cancer patients receiving cisplatin (dose ≥ 70 mg m2 -1) were recruited for metabolomics analysis. Urine and serum samples were collected prior to cisplatin (pre), 24-48 hours after cisplatin (24-48h), and 5-14 days (post) after cisplatin. Based on serum creatinine concentrations measured at the post timepoint, 11/31 patients were classified with clinical AKI. Untargeted metabolomics was performed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results: Metabolic discrimination was observed between “AKI” patients and “no AKI” patients at all timepoints. Urinary glycine, hippuric acid sulfate, 3-hydroxydecanedioc acid, and suberate were significantly different between AKI patients and no AKI patients prior to cisplatin infusion. Urinary glycine and hippuric acid sulfate were lower (-2.22-fold and -8.85-fold), whereas 3-hydroxydecanedioc acid and suberate were higher (3.62-fold and 1.91-fold) in AKI patients relative to no AKI patients. Several urine and serum metabolites were found to be altered 24-48 hours following cisplatin infusion, particularly metabolites involved with mitochondrial energetics. Conclusion: We propose glycine, hippuric acid sulfate, 3-hydroxydecanedioc acid, and suberate as predictive biomarkers of predisposition to cisplatin-induced AKI. Metabolites indicative of mitochondrial dysfunction may serve as early markers of subclinical AKI.