A Protocol for Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis: From Sample Preparation to Data Processing

Abstract

Untargeted metabolomics has rapidly become a profiling method of choice in many areas of research, including mitochondrial biology. Most commonly, untargeted metabolomics is performed with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry because it enables measurement of a relatively wide range of physiochemically diverse molecules. Specifically, to assess energy pathways that are associated with mitochondrial metabolism, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) is often applied before analysis with a high-resolution accurate mass instrument. The workflow produces large, complex data files that are impractical to analyze manually. Here, we present a protocol to perform untargeted metabolomics on biofluids such as plasma, urine, and cerebral spinal fluid with a HILIC separation and an Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Our protocol describes each step of the analysis in detail, from preparation of solvents for chromatography to selecting parameters during data processing.