Urinary Metabolomic Profile is Minimally Impacted by Common Storage Conditions and Additives

Abstract

Metabolomics reflects the molecular communications within a biological system. Urine can be obtained non-invasively and is rich in metabolites that are potential biomarkers for human health and disease. The optimal urine storage conditions for metabolomic analysis are unknown. We measured the impact of common storage conditions and the presence of a DNA-stabilizer, AssayAssure(R) (Thermo Scientific), on metabolite content of voided human urine. Urinary metabolite composition was not altered across storage conditions. Although addition of AssayAssure(R) significantly alters metabolic profile by adduct addition, this does not preclude the identification of parent metabolites or overshadow biological differences. These data suggest biobanked urine stored in any of the tested conditions for metabolomic studies may be considered for metabolomic analysis.