Molecular signatures of xenograft colorectal cancer in mice treated with topotecan: A mass spectrometry-based study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, yet it continues to have a low survival rate, largely due to the lack of effective treatments. Metabolomics offers new insight into disease diagnosis and biomarkers discovery. The aim of the study is to identify serum biomarkers in a CRC xenograft mouse model treated with topotecan using advanced metabolomics techniques to enhance our understanding and management of the disease. METHODS: The therapeutic potentials of the anticancer drug topotecan on metabolomic alterations in CRC were explored using the UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS platform. A comprehensive metabolomic analysis was conducted to compare four different animal groups: HCT-116 CRC xenograft mice treated with topotecan (treated group), vehicle-control HCT-116 xenograft mice (untreated CRC xenograft mice), positive controls (healthy mice injected with topotecan), and negative controls (healthy mice). RESULTS: The study identified 53 altered metabolites across all four groups (p-value < 0.05). Independent T-test revealed that 15 metabolites were statistically significant among vehicle controls and negative controls. Additionally, 20 metabolites showed significant differences between the potential responders to topotecan and the vehicle controls. Moreover, only one metabolite was statistically significant between the positive and negative controls. CONCLUSION: The findings provide a detailed characterization of metabolic alterations associated with topotecan treatment in CRC. These insights contribute to a better understanding of the drug's mechanism of action, which may help predict CRC patients' response to topotecan and guide the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.