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Microbial metabolomics

Principal investigator; Larsson, Lennart, Professor, PhD

Phone: ++4646177298

Co-workers: Bogumila Szponar, Mirko Peitzsch

International networks: Anne Hyvärinen, Donald Milton, Alvin Fox, Alan Shihadeh, Mardi Crane, Robert Foronjy, Asem Shehabi

Research area/areas: Biomedical Laboratory Science/Technology, Environmental Health and Occupational Health, Microbiology in the medical area

We have specialized in developing mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques for determining microbial monomeric structures and metabolites (chemical markers) in complex matrices. We focus on pathogenesis and diagnosis of infections, toxin analysis, asthma/allergy, and microbial structure/bioactivity relationships.

Mass spectrometry is used for studying microbial metabolite markers directly in clinical and environmental samples. We use animal models to evaluate the distribution of endotoxin and long-chain 3-hydroxy fatty acids in mammalian tissues following intraperitonal injection and have studied the role of endotoxin-contamination of orthopaedic implants as a cause of prosthetic loosening. We have developed a new, metabolomics-derived and mass spectrometry-based diagnostic method for invasive Candida infections. Allergy is increasing in the Western hemisphere and has been linked to the microbial community in the indoor environment. Microorganisms in indoor air are determined by using chemical marker analysis of muramic acid (marker of peptidoglycan), 3-hydroxy acids (endotoxin), and ergosterol (fungal biomass) since only a small fraction (a few percent) of the total microbial flora in indoor environments is culturable. In particular we study tobacco smoke-generated endotoxin. We use these new methods plus mycotoxin analysis to study health consequences of our exposure to microorganisms in the environment. We started a project recently involving the development of a product for stopping harmful emissions in waterdamaged buildings.

Direct analysis of microbial signature markers in clinical samples provides insights into microbial metabolism in the infected host with implications for diagnosis and drug development. New methods for analysing microbial toxins and chemical markers represent alternatives to biological assays for quantifying and characterising structures of air-borne microorganisms and forms a basis for correlating human health and well-being to microbial exposure.

Link to project homepage: http://www.med.lu.se/labmedlund/medical_microbiology/research/lennart_larsson

5 recent original publications

Täubel M, Sulyok M, Vishwanath V, Bloom E, Turunen M, Järvi K, Kauhanen E, Krska R, Hyvärinen A, Larsson L and Nevalainen A
Co-occurence of toxic bacterial and fungal secondary metabolites in moisture damaged indoor environments
Indoor Air. 2011; 21: 368-375

Arendrup M. C., Bergmann O. J., Larsson Lennart, Nielsen H. V., Jarlov J. O., Christensson Bertil
Detection of candidaemia in patients with and without underlying haematological disease
Clinical Microbiology And Infection. 2010; 16: 855 - 862

Szponar B, Kraznik L, Hryniewiecki T, Gamian A and Larsson L
Distribution of 3-hydroxy fatty acids in tissues after intraperitoneal injection of endotoxin
Clinical Chemistry. 2003; 49: 1149-1153

Bloom Erica, Nyman Eva, Must Aime, Pehrson Christina, Larsson Lennart
Molds and mycotoxins in indoor environments - a survey in water-damaged buildings.
Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene. 2009; 6: 671 - 678

Larsson Lennart, Szponar Bogumila, Ridha Beston, Pehrson Christina, Dutkiewicz Jacek, Krysińska-Traczyk Ewa, Sitkowska Jolanta
Identification of bacterial and fungal components in tobacco and tobacco smoke.
Tobacco induced diseases. 2008; 4: 4 -

Further publications here (new window)

Financing/year