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Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Hanfei Li
    • Yuxi Li
    • Bo Zhang
    • Wenhao Cheng
    • Guowei Ma
    • Jin Rong
    • Shiru Duan
    • Di Feng
    • Tingting Zhao
  • View Affiliations / Copyright

    Affiliations: Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100048, P.R. China, Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, Beijing Key Laboratory of Critical Bridging Technologies for Chronic Disease Drug Development, China‑Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, P.R. China
    Copyright: © Li et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.
  • Article Number: 76
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    Published online on: January 29, 2026
       https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2026.5747
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Abstract

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a microvascular complication of diabetes, characterized by region‑specific metabolic reprogramming that disrupts kidney function and markedly impairs patient prognosis. By enabling in situ visualization and analysis of metabolite distribution within kidney tissue, spatial metabolomics offers a unique advantage in detecting spatial heterogeneity in metabolic alterations, which is inaccessible through conventional metabolomics. This approach not only enhances the understanding of DKD pathophysiology but also provides a solid foundation for the development of precision nephrology strategies informed by spatial metabolite data. The present review discusses the fundamental workflows and spatial resolution capabilities of spatial metabolomics, summarizing the key metabolites involved in regional metabolic disruptions in multiple DKD animal models. Moreover, it highlights notable metabolites, including glucose, succinate, phosphatidylserine, lysophosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, taurine, glutamate, L‑carnitine, choline, adenosine monophosphate and guanosine monophosphate. The continued advancement of imaging technologies and data analysis methodologies is expected to further refine the spatial resolution and precision of spatial metabolomics, thereby facilitating its broader application in clinical practice.

Introduction

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is defined as kidney damage resulting from diabetes. In total, ~40% of patients with diabetes will eventually develop DKD (1,2). Moreover, with disease progression, patients with DKD experience a decline in renal function, ultimately culminating in kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease (3). Under the pathological condition of DKD, metabolic dysregulation can trigger oxidative stress (4-7), inflammatory cascades (8), tubulointerstitial injury (9,10) and glomerular endothelial dysfunction via fenestration alterations (11). Therefore, there is an urgent requirement to fully understand the pathological changes in different regions of DKD and explore effective diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Metabolomics is an omics technology that enables the comprehensive analysis of metabolites in organisms (12). Classic metabolomics methods focus on identifying and quantifying metabolites, providing a global metabolic pathway profile that captures systemic alterations under physiological or pathological conditions (13,14). This enables the identification of metabolic disparities across diverse sample cohorts (15,16). However, data obtained by these methods lack information on the spatial distribution of metabolites within tissues. This limitation has driven the development of spatial metabolomics.

Spatial metabolomics is a technology developed over the past two decades, and its application scope has been continuously expanded in the last 5 years with the advancement of technical methodologies (17,18). This technique integrates metabolomics with spatial biology, offering a novel approach to explore the heterogeneity of metabolites within tissue microenvironments under disease conditions. Recent studies on cancer types such as hepatocellular carcinoma have reported that the spatial distribution patterns of immune cells can more accurately predict diseases than gene expression levels alone (19-22). This highlights the importance of spatial location information in disease research. Currently, spatial metabolomics has demonstrated great potential in several fields, including neuroscience (23,24), microbiology (25), plant science (26), drug development (27) and clinical applications (28). Notably, the application of spatial metabolomics in kidney research is still in its developmental stage, with most existing studies concentrating on the heterogeneity between the renal cortex and medulla (29-31).

The present review discusses the fundamental principles and advantages of spatial metabolomics technology, summarizing recent advancements in its application to metabolic disorders in DKD. The focus is on characteristics associated with carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and nucleic acid metabolism within cortical and medullary regions. Finally, the review outlines potential future research directions, aiming to provide valuable insights and contributions to researchers in the fields of DKD and related pathophysiology.

Basic principles of spatial metabolomics technology

Spatial metabolomics represents a cutting-edge technology that integrates mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) with the principles of metabolomics. The fundamental working principle involves employing specific ionization methods to ionize metabolites present in tissue sections of samples (32). Currently, three primary ionization techniques are widely utilized in spatial metabolomics: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-MSI, desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)-MSI and secondary ion (SIMS)-MSI (33-38). These ionized metabolites are then sent to a mass spectrometer for mass analysis, where they are analyzed to obtain information on their mass-to-charge ratio. At the same time, the spatial distribution images of metabolites in the tissue sections are reconstructed by combining the mass spectrometry data with the spatial coordinate information of the tissue samples (32,39,40). To enable co-localization analysis, previous studies spatially aligned consecutive kidney sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin with MSI data (41,42) (Fig. 1).

Schematic workflow of spatial
metabolomics analysis for kidney samples. After kidney tissue is
obtained, the workflow encompasses sample preparation,
high-resolution mass spectrometry imaging, multimodal data
collection, and integration of variance analysis and pathway
enrichment analysis. This results in the construction of a spatial
metabolic map that captures metabolic heterogeneity between the
renal cortex and medulla, offering a visual reference for
mechanistic investigations into metabolic diseases such as diabetic
kidney disease. H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; KEGG, Kyoto
Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.

Figure 1

Schematic workflow of spatial metabolomics analysis for kidney samples. After kidney tissue is obtained, the workflow encompasses sample preparation, high-resolution mass spectrometry imaging, multimodal data collection, and integration of variance analysis and pathway enrichment analysis. This results in the construction of a spatial metabolic map that captures metabolic heterogeneity between the renal cortex and medulla, offering a visual reference for mechanistic investigations into metabolic diseases such as diabetic kidney disease. H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; KEGG, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.

Comparison of major spatial metabolomics technologies

The core advantage of spatial metabolomics is its capability to resolve spatial information, enabling in situ localization of metabolites within biological tissues. This is particularly valuable in kidney research, where the average cellular diameter is ~10 μm (43). MALDI-MSI boasts high sensitivity and the capability to detect low-abundance metabolites, thus occupying a dominant position in the field of spatial metabolomics. Using MALDI-MSI with a spatial resolution of 20 μm, the overall metabolic heterogeneity distribution from the cortex to the medulla in DKD kidney sections can be clearly visualized, revealing metabolic gradient changes in different functional regions under disease conditions (31). By contrast, employing a higher resolution of 5 μm with MALDI-MSI and isotope labeling enables in situ, cell-type-specific dynamic metabolic measurements, uncovering cellular metabolism within the tissue structure (44). A key advantage of DESI-MSI is its compatibility with fresh tissues, facilitating rapid detection of clinical samples. Operating at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, DESI-MSI requires no complex sample pretreatment (45,46). With a typical spatial resolution of 50-200 μm (47) and a moderate detectable molecular weight range, it is more suitable for imaging large tissue regions. This facilitates the investigation of the pervasive metabolic landscape in advanced DKD, a condition often characterized by extensive interstitial fibrosis. SIMS-MSI operates under high-vacuum conditions and has stringent temperature requirements. While SIMS-MSI achieves an ultra-high spatial resolution of <1 μm, it has the narrowest detectable molecular weight range among all the discussed techniques. Nevertheless, it provides the highest spatial resolution among the technologies addressed here, making it ideally suited for single-cell metabolomics research (35,37). Therefore, the selection of an appropriate spatial metabolomics technique for DKD research necessitates a trade-off between its spatial resolution and metabolite coverage. Future studies may integrate multiple technologies to obtain more comprehensive metabolic information, thereby enhancing our in-depth understanding of disease mechanisms.

Functional specialization and metabolic disturbances in DKD

The kidney is a vital excretory and regulatory organ, whose functions rely on the sophisticated structure and division of labor between the renal cortex and medulla (48,49). The renal cortex, composed primarily of abundant renal corpuscles and proximal tubules, is principally responsible for blood filtration, reabsorption and secretion of substances (50,51). By contrast, the renal medulla, through the loops of Henle and collecting ducts, maintains internal environmental homeostasis by regulating water-electrolyte balance and urine concentration (52,53). Owing to these functional distinctions between the two regions, there are notable differences in their demand for and utilization of metabolites (54).

In the onset and progression of DKD, the dysregulation of regional metabolic functions is particularly critical, and metabolomics research provides an essential technological approach for systematically elucidating its molecular mechanisms (55,56). Classical metabolomics, through the synergistic application of non-targeted metabolic profiling and targeted metabolite quantification strategies, has systematically constructed a comprehensive molecular map of the metabolic network of the kidney (Fig. 2), revealing ATP depletion driven by mitochondrial dysfunction, imbalance of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates and inhibition of fatty acid oxidation (FAO), which ultimately leads to apoptosis, autophagy, oxidative stress and lipid droplet accumulation (57,58). Therefore, the integration of spatial metabolomics has enabled unprecedented precision in regional metabolite localization (59,60).

Global metabolic disorder network of
DKD revealed by classical metabolomics. The key metabolic
alterations and their pathogenic relevance to DKD progression are
shown. Intracellular glucose influx is increased, leading to
cytoplasmic glucose accumulation that activates the polyol pathway
and disrupts glycolytic intermediate balance, further exacerbating
lactate buildup. These changes drive a metabolic shift toward
anaerobic glycolysis. FFAs are taken up through CD36 and FATP
receptors, resulting in the accumulation of oxidized low-density
lipoprotein. The functions of cholesterol reverse transport
proteins ABCA1/LDLR are impaired, leading to lipid droplet
accumulation and oxidative stress. PGC-1α and PPAR regulate FAO,
while SREBPs can affect cholesterol synthesis. Mitochondrial
oxidative phosphorylation dysfunction and peroxisome dysfunction
further worsen lipotoxicity. The reduction of various amino acids
is closely related to the decrease of intermediates in the TCA
cycle. Red arrows indicate an increase; blue arrows indicate a
decrease. DKD, diabetic kidney disease; GLUT, glucose transporter;
G6P, glucose-6-phosphate; F6P, fructose-6-phosphate; G3P,
glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate; (N)EAA's, (non)essential amino acids;
FFAs, free fatty acids; FATP, fatty acid transport protein; CD36,
cluster of differentiation 36; ox-LDL, oxidized low-density
lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; LOX-1, lectin-like
oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1; LDLR, low-density
lipoprotein receptor; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; ABCA1,
ATP-binding cassette transporter A1; TCA cycle, tricarboxylic acid
cycle; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; ROS, reactive oxygen species;
OXPHOS, oxidative phosphorylation; FAO, fatty acid oxidation; ACSL,
acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family; CPT1, carnitine
palmitoyltransferase 1; α-KG, α-ketoglutarate; NF-κB, nuclear
factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; AP-1, activator
protein-1; SREBP, sterol regulatory element-binding protein;
PGC-1α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator
1-α; PPARα, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α; PPARγ,
peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ.

Figure 2

Global metabolic disorder network of DKD revealed by classical metabolomics. The key metabolic alterations and their pathogenic relevance to DKD progression are shown. Intracellular glucose influx is increased, leading to cytoplasmic glucose accumulation that activates the polyol pathway and disrupts glycolytic intermediate balance, further exacerbating lactate buildup. These changes drive a metabolic shift toward anaerobic glycolysis. FFAs are taken up through CD36 and FATP receptors, resulting in the accumulation of oxidized low-density lipoprotein. The functions of cholesterol reverse transport proteins ABCA1/LDLR are impaired, leading to lipid droplet accumulation and oxidative stress. PGC-1α and PPAR regulate FAO, while SREBPs can affect cholesterol synthesis. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation dysfunction and peroxisome dysfunction further worsen lipotoxicity. The reduction of various amino acids is closely related to the decrease of intermediates in the TCA cycle. Red arrows indicate an increase; blue arrows indicate a decrease. DKD, diabetic kidney disease; GLUT, glucose transporter; G6P, glucose-6-phosphate; F6P, fructose-6-phosphate; G3P, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate; (N)EAA's, (non)essential amino acids; FFAs, free fatty acids; FATP, fatty acid transport protein; CD36, cluster of differentiation 36; ox-LDL, oxidized low-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; LOX-1, lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1; LDLR, low-density lipoprotein receptor; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; ABCA1, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1; TCA cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; ROS, reactive oxygen species; OXPHOS, oxidative phosphorylation; FAO, fatty acid oxidation; ACSL, acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family; CPT1, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1; α-KG, α-ketoglutarate; NF-κB, nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; AP-1, activator protein-1; SREBP, sterol regulatory element-binding protein; PGC-1α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α; PPARα, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α; PPARγ, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ.

Spatial metabolomics reveals region-specific disturbances in glucose metabolism and the TCA cycle in DKD

A hyperglycemic environment can induce an imbalance in energy metabolism homeostasis, characterized by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation dysfunction and metabolic reprogramming (61,62). Notably, the renal medulla mainly relies on glucose for energy (63,64). Previous research reported that the levels of hexoses in the cortical tissue increased when male C57BL/6J-Ins2Akita mice reached 17 weeks of age (65). When DKD rats were 24 and 28 weeks old, respectively, the kidney glucose levels exhibited a marked global increase, with particularly pronounced elevations observed in the cortex region (31,66). By contrast, rats subjected to prolonged feeding exhibited notably reduced glucose levels in the renal medulla region (66). However, it should be noted that these findings reflect the complexity of metabolic heterogeneity across different regions and time points. The discrepancies in glucose levels between the renal cortex and medulla have led to varied interpretations of the pathophysiological mechanisms of DKD, highlighting the necessity of considering tissue specificity and its potential impacts on overall disease progression when investigating metabolic alterations.

The distribution of TCA cycle intermediates also exhibits spatial heterogeneity. Clinical studies have reported that, compared with healthy controls, succinic acid and malic acid are markedly reduced in kidney biopsies of patients with type 1 diabetes across several kidney regions, suggesting subclinical mitochondrial dysfunction (67). These spatial distribution abnormalities are highly congruent with the global findings of classical metabolomics. In individuals with DKD, enzymes involved in glycolytic, sorbitol, methylglyoxal and mitochondrial pathways have been reported to exhibit reduced expression and activity. Moreover, pyruvate kinase M2 demonstrates marked decreases in both its transcriptional expression and enzymatic activity (68). From the perspective of metabolic pathways, the accumulation of TCA cycle intermediates induces a burst of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, driving the progression of DKD (69,70). Table I consolidates information on spatially resolved metabolic alterations in carbohydrate and TCA cycle intermediates.

Table I

Spatial metabolomics reveals dysregulation of glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in DKD.

Table I

Spatial metabolomics reveals dysregulation of glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates in DKD.

Experimental modelSubstructure
Overall structureApplied methodSpatial resolution, μm(Refs.)
CortexMedulla
F1 C57BL/6J-Ins2Akita male miceHexose↑, threonic acid↑DESI-MSI200(65)
HFD and STZ-treated DKD ratsGlucose↑, sorbitol↑Glucose↓, sorbitol↑, succinate↑, glucose 6-phosphate↑, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate↑Citric acid↓, malate↓AFADESI-MSI, MALDI-MSI20(31)
HFD/STZ-induced diabetic ratsGlucose↑SGLTs↓Citrate↓AFADESI-MSI20(66)
HFD/STZ-induced db/db miceGlucose↑, succinate↑SGLTs↑, succinate↑Malate↓AFADESI-MSI20(66)
8 participants with T1D and preserved kidney function, and 5 HCSuccinic acid↓, malic acid↓MALDI-MSI20(67)

[i] HC, healthy control; DKD, diabetic kidney disease; HFD, high-fat diet; STZ, streptozotocin; T1D, type 1 diabetes; MSI, mass spectrometry imaging; MALDI-MSI, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MSI; DESI, desorption electrospray ionization-MSI; AFADESI-MSI, airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization-MSI; SGLT, sodium-glucose transporter.

Lipid metabolism in DKD

Classical metabolomics studies have systematically characterized the systemic lipid metabolic dysregulation in DKD, elucidating imbalances in cholesterol esterification, phospholipid remodeling and triglyceride (TG) accumulation (71-73). Moreover, spatial metabolomics has revealed notable regional variations in phospholipids and TGs in DKD kidneys (66,74). Phospholipids are key components of cell membranes and are associated with the pathogenesis of DKD (75). Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and lycerylphosphorylethanolamine (GPE) are all lipid metabolites derived from phospholipids. In DKD model mice, the levels of LPA, LPC, LPE and GPE in the cortex were reported to be markedly elevated (65,76,77). Moreover, changes in the phosphatidylcholine (PC)/phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) ratio have been reported to have an impact on cellular processes associated with health and disease (77). In cardiovascular disease patients at risk of insulin resistance, changes in the PC/PE ratio affect cellular processes related to cardiovascular health and disease progression by regulating inflammatory responses and the physiological state of cardiomyocytes (78). Notably, in db/db mice, the levels of PC/PE ratio in the cortex and medulla showed opposite changes, indicating that metabolic responses in different kidney regions during disease progression are both complex and region-specific (66). TGs are subject to rapid turnover and re-arrangement of fatty acids (FAs) (79). A recent spatial multi-omics study of long-term DKD reported a marked accumulation of TG in the medullary region (74). Furthermore, in DKD rats at 24 weeks of age, renal cortical oleic acid levels were elevated, whilst polyunsaturated FAs, including linoleic acid, were markedly reduced (31).

Spatial metabolomics has advanced the understanding of lipid changes in the kidneys of DKD to the level of proximal tubular cells. Under physiological conditions, the kidney tubules predominantly utilize FAs (64,80,81), and this utilization requires carnitine as a carrier, facilitating the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria via the carnitine shuttle system (82). Spatial metabolomics and multi-omics analyses of human kidney samples reported that the detection of acylcarnitines in cortical samples was insufficiently sensitive (83). This observation is consistent with the known downregulation of FAO in chronic kidney disease, indicating impaired FAO in proximal tubular cells of patients with kidney disease (84). Detailed lipid changes are presented in Table II.

Table II

Identification of lipid metabolism disorders in DKD utilizing spatial metabolomics.

Table II

Identification of lipid metabolism disorders in DKD utilizing spatial metabolomics.

Experimental modelSubstructure
Overall structureApplied methodSpatial resolution, μm(Refs.)
CortexMedulla
C57BLKS db/db mouse model of type 2 DNLPA↑, LPC↑, NeuGc-GM3↑, Amadori-PE (16:0/20:4)↑MALDI-IMS10(76)
F1 C57BL/6J-Ins2Akita male miceGPE↑, PI↓, PS↓, PG↓, PE↓, Cer↓, unsaturated FA↑DESI-MSI200(65)
Type 2 diabetic (db/db)LPE↑PS (O-16:0/16:0)↑PE (18:0/20:4)↑DESI-MSI50(77)
mice db/db miceFA (18:1)↓ L-palmitoyl-carnitine↓, propionyl-carnitine↓L-Carnitine↓, FA↑AFADESI-MSI100(87)
db/db miceDocosahexaenoic acid↓PI [18:0/18:2 (9Z, 12Z)]↓MALDI MSI(88)
HFD and STZ-treated DKD ratsOleic acid↑, linolenic acid↓, linoleic acid↓, arachidonic acid↓, eicosapentaenoic acid↓, docosahexaenoic acid↓, acetylcarnitine ↓DAG (18:1/18:1)↑, DAG (18:1/18:2)↑, PC↑, PE (36:4)↑, LysoPC (16:0)↑, LysoPG (18:1)↑, LysoPG (20:4)↑LysoPG (22:6)↓, PE (38:6)↓, PE (38:4)↓, SM (d18:1/16:0)↑, phosphorylethanolamine↓, long-chain acylcarnitines↑ AFADESI-MSI,MALDI-MSI20(31)
HFD/STZ-induced diabetic ratsPC/PE↑, LysoPG↑, PI↓, PS metabolites↓, PG metabolites↓, SM (d18:1/16:0)↑PC/PE↑, PS↓, PG↓, PI↓, SM (d18:1/16:0)↑PC/PE↑, PA↓, choline↓, L-carnitine↓, stearoylcarnitine↑AFADESI-MSI20(66)
HFD/STZ-induced db/db micePC/PE↓, PS↑, PG↓, LysoPG↑, PI↑, SM (d18:1/16:0)↑PC/PE↑, PS↑, PG↓, PI↑, SM (d18:1/16:0)↑PC/PE↑, PA↑, choline↓, betaine↑, palmitoylcarnitine↑, linoleylcarnitine↑, octadecenoylcarnitine↑AFADESI-MSI20(66)
Long-standing DKD (diabetes duration >10 years) Glycerophospholipids↑ TG↑, PE↑, sphingolipids↑Tridecatrienoic acid↑, octadecanoic acid↑, hydroxyoctadecanoic acid↑50(74)

[i] DKD, diabetic kidney disease; HFD, high-fat diet; STZ, streptozotocin; MSI, mass spectrometry imaging; MALDI-MSI, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MSI; DESI-MSI, desorption electrospray ionization-MSI; AFADESI-MSI, airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization-MSI; LPA, lysophosphatidic acid; LPC, lysophosphatidylcholine; NeuGc-GM3, N-glycolylneuraminic acid ganglioside GM3; PE, phosphatidylethanolamine; GPE, glycerophosphatidylethanolamine; PI, phosphatidylinositol; PS, phosphatidylserine; PG, phosphatidylglycerol; Cer, ceramide; FA, fatty acid; LPE, lysophosphatidylethanolamine; DAG, diacylglycerol; LysoPG, lysophosphatidylglycerol; LysoPC, lysophosphatidylcholine; PC, phosphatidylcholine; PA, phosphatidic acid; SM, sphingomyelin; TG, triglyceride.

It should be noted that the inherent differences in sample size, animal model selection and experimental methodologies among the aforementioned studies may impose significant constraints on the reproducibility and generalizability of the results. Although spatial metabolomics has successfully revealed the regional heterogeneity of lipid distribution in the kidney, existing research is mostly confined to single-species models (e.g., db/db mice and DKD rats). Moreover, the sample size used for spatial metabolomics analysis is only up to 6 animals per group, coupled with the lack of dynamic tracking data across different disease stages. This may not only induce biases in interpreting the causal relationship between lipid metabolic disorders and the pathological progression of DKD, but may also hinder the accurate reflection of the clinical metabolic characteristics of human DKD. Therefore, future studies should prioritize optimizing experimental designs by expanding sample sizes, diversifying animal models and conducting dynamic monitoring across multiple disease stages, so as to more comprehensively elucidate the metabolic response mechanisms of distinct renal regions during DKD progression.

Amino acid metabolism in DKD

The dysregulation of amino acid metabolism in DKD is not merely a consequence of renal dysfunction, but an active driver of pathogenesis (85,86). Spatial metabolomics techniques have revealed changes in amino acids in specific regions of the kidney. In db/db mice, glutamate, spermine, taurine and spermidine were notably reduced in both the cortex and medulla, whilst histamine, putrescine and indoxyl sulfate markedly accumulated in the cortex (66,87,88). Notably, spermidine has been reported to exhibit multiple pharmacological effects, including anti-aging, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and cardiovascular protection (89-92). Sulfate is a protein-binding gut-derived uremic toxin that has been reported to be closely associated with podocyte loss in DKD (93). Our previous research demonstrated that Tangshen formula can effectively decrease the concentration of sulfate during the treatment of DKD (94). Furthermore, compared with that in db/db mice, glutamate was reported to be similarly reduced in the cortex and medulla of high-fat diet and STZ-induced DKD rats (31,66). Additionally, glutamine, aspartate, threonine and leucine/isoleucine were reported to be markedly reduced (31,66,95). The heterogeneity of amino acid and related metabolism in the cortex and medulla of DKD revealed by spatial metabolomics is summarized in Table III.

Table III

Cortex-medulla heterogeneity in amino acid and related metabolism of DKD revealed by spatial metabolomics.

Table III

Cortex-medulla heterogeneity in amino acid and related metabolism of DKD revealed by spatial metabolomics.

Experimental modelSubstructure
Applied methodSpatial resolution, μm(Refs.)
CortexMedulla
HFD and STZ-induced DKD ratsGlutamine↓, aspartate↓, threonine↓, leucine/isoleucine↓Glutamine↓, aspartate↓, threonine↓, leucine/isoleucine↓ AFADESI-MSI
MALDI-MSI
20(31)
db/db miceHistamine↑, putrescine↑, taurine↓, spermidine↓, spermine↓, glutathione disulfide↑, L-cysteine↑, 5-L-glutamy-taurine↑Glutathione↓, taurine↓, spermidine↓, spermine↓, glutathione disulfide↑, L-cysteine↑, 5-L-glutamy-taurine↑AFADESI-MSI100(87)
Obese ZDF male ratsTyrosinamide↑, L-threonine↓Tyrosinamide↑, L-threonine↓MALDI-MSI20(95)
HFD/STZ-induced diabetic ratsGlutamate↓, aspartate↓AFADESI-MSI20(66)
HFD/STZ-induced db/db miceGlutamate↓Glutamate↓AFADESI-MSI20(66)
db/db miceIndoxyl sulfate↑MALDI-MSI50(88)

[i] DKD, diabetic kidney disease; HFD, high-fat diet; STZ, streptozotocin; MSI, mass spectrometry imaging; AFADESI-MSI, airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization-MSI; MALDI-MSI, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MSI; ZDF, Zucker Diabetic Fatty.

Nucleic acid metabolism in DKD

Classic metabolomic studies have demonstrated that after inducing diabetes in rats via injection of alloxan, the levels of purine metabolites in their bodies are significantly elevated, including uric acid (the end product of purine metabolism) and metabolic intermediates such as xanthine, hypoxanthine, adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and inosine (96-98). Notably, a large-scale clinical metabolomics study, involving 4,503 healthy controls and 1,875 patients with DKD, reported that the levels of uracil in patients with DKD were markedly reduced (99). These phenomena suggest unique nucleic acid metabolic disturbances. However, to clarify their local in situ distribution and pathological significance within the kidney, spatial metabolomics is required.

Spatially resolved analyses have elucidated compartment-specific nucleotide dysregulation, offering mechanistic insights into DKD pathology (31,100). In db/db mice, the level of AMP, a key intermediate in purine nucleotide metabolism, was reported to be notably elevated across all renal regions (66). Moreover, in DKD rats, the levels of AMP and guanosine monophosphate (GMP) were reported to be markedly increased in the cortex, whilst they showed a decreasing trend in the medulla (31). Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) integrates growth factor and insulin signaling pathways to orchestrate critical cellular processes, including cell proliferation, motility, survival, protein synthesis, autophagy and transcriptional regulation (101). In DKD, abnormal activation of the mTOR pathway can mediate metabolic reprogramming, with adenine reported to drive kidney pathological progression through this pathway. Spatial metabolomics studies reveal that in normal kidneys, adenine is primarily localized in the glomeruli and vascular regions (102,103). However, in the pathology of DKD, adenine diffusely increases throughout the entire tissue section, particularly in the regions of sclerotic vessels, mildly sclerotic glomeruli, atrophic renal tubules and areas of interstitial inflammation (102). The importance of adenine in rescue and targeted therapies has been elucidated using multimodal omics approaches (104). As the most abundant modified nucleoside in several RNA species, pseudouridine has been recognized as a new biomarker demonstrating better performance than creatinine in chronic kidney disease stratification (105). Previous studies have reported that diabetic mice exhibit relatively high levels of pseudouridine in the cortex tissue (65). Table IV summarizes spatial metabolomics research revealing dysregulation of nucleotide and purine metabolism in kidneys of organisms with DKD.

Table IV

Spatial metabolomics reveals nucleotide and purine metabolism dysregulation in DKD.

Table IV

Spatial metabolomics reveals nucleotide and purine metabolism dysregulation in DKD.

Experimental modelSubstructure
Applied methodSpatial resolution, μm(Refs.)
CortexMedulla
F1 C57BL/6J-Ins2Akita male micePseudouridine↑DESI-MSI200(65)
HFD and STZ-treated DKD ratsAMP↑, GMP↑, ADP↑, ATP↑, inosine↓, hypoxanthine↓, xanthine↓, uric acid↓, uridine↓AMP↓, GMP↓, ADP↑, ATP↑AFADESI-MSI, MALDI-MSI20(31)
Diabetic patients (T1D, T2D)Endogenous adenine↑Endogenous adenine↑MALDI-MSI(99)
HFD/STZ-induced diabetic ratsAMP↓AFADESI-MSI20(66)
HFD/STZ-induced db/db miceAMP↑, GMP↑AFADESI-MSI20(66)

[i] DKD, diabetic kidney disease; HFD, high-fat diet; STZ, streptozotocin; T1D, type 1 diabetes; T2D, type 2 diabetes; MSI, mass spectrometry imaging; DESI-MSI, desorption electrospray ionization-MSI; AFADESI-MSI, airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization-MSI; MALDI-MSI, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MSI; AMP, adenosine monophosphate; GMP, guanosine monophosphate; ADP, adenosine diphosphate; ATP, adenosine triphosphate.

Discussion and future perspectives

In-depth analyses of metabolic remodeling and pathological mechanisms in the renal microenvironment is the theoretical cornerstone for developing new targeted intervention strategies for DKD. The present review systematically summarizes the cutting-edge advancements in spatial metabolomics in this field. Its core contribution lies in overcoming the limitations of traditional global tissue analysis, revealing the fundamental spatial heterogeneity of metabolic regulation along the cortical-medullary axis and within specific pathological structures. Synthesizing existing research findings, the metabolite profiles in the renal cortex and medulla exhibit marked region-specific dysregulation across multiple DKD animal models. In the cortex region, the levels of glucose, AMP, GMP, PS(36:2), PS(36:1), LysoPG(18:1) and SM(d18:1/16:0) are significantly upregulated; concurrently, the levels of taurine, glutamate, L-carnitine, PG(32:0), PC/PE and choline are notably downregulated. In the medulla region, the levels of succinate, PS(36:1), SM(d18:1/16:0) and PC/PE show significant elevation; meanwhile, the levels of taurine, glutamate, L-carnitine and choline also display a decreasing trend. Fig. 3 offers an intuitive visual overview and acts as a reference for identifying regional or global metabolic targets in subsequent targeted interventions. Metabolites exhibit similar or opposite distribution and regional accumulation in different functional areas of the kidney. These are key spatial details that traditional tissue homogenate-based metabolomics cannot capture. Conventional methods provide overall averages, masking contrasting trends across anatomical regions. This obscures the true picture of metabolic disorders.

Spatial metabolic heterogeneity is
observed in the cortex and medulla of DKD animal models. (A)
Schematic diagram of regional distribution of metabolites with
consistent change trends across two or more DKD animal models.
Through regional demarcation and arrow notation (↑ denotes
elevation, ↓ denotes reduction), the region-specific dysregulation
of metabolites implicated in glucose metabolism (e.g., glucose),
lipid metabolism (e.g., PS, SM), amino acid metabolism (e.g.,
taurine, glutamic acid), and nucleotide metabolism (e.g., AMP) are
explicitly illustrated. (B) Spatial distribution images of
representative metabolites obtained via spatial metabolomics.
Adapted from Zhang et al (66), https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13030324, under the
terms of the CC BY 4.0 license: Glucose and glutamate in this
figure are adapted from Fig. 8 of this study, AMP from Fig. 9,
choline from Fig. 10, and SM(34:1), LysoPG(18:1), PG(32:0),
PS(36:1), PC(34:1) and PE(34:1) from Figs. 6 and 7. The images
compare the control CON and DKD groups across two models (HFD and
STZ treated rats, db/db mice), with the color scale (from 0 to
100%) indicating metabolite abundance. Scale bar, 3 mm. CON,
control; DKD, diabetic kidney disease; HFD, high-fat diet; STZ,
streptozotocin; PG, phosphatidylglycerol; LysoPG,
lysophosphatidylglycerol; PS, phosphatidylserine; PC/PE, the ratio
of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine; SM(34:1),
SM(d18:1/16:0); SM, sphingomyelin; AMP, adenosine monophosphate;
GMP, guanosine monophosphate.

Figure 3

Spatial metabolic heterogeneity is observed in the cortex and medulla of DKD animal models. (A) Schematic diagram of regional distribution of metabolites with consistent change trends across two or more DKD animal models. Through regional demarcation and arrow notation (↑ denotes elevation, ↓ denotes reduction), the region-specific dysregulation of metabolites implicated in glucose metabolism (e.g., glucose), lipid metabolism (e.g., PS, SM), amino acid metabolism (e.g., taurine, glutamic acid), and nucleotide metabolism (e.g., AMP) are explicitly illustrated. (B) Spatial distribution images of representative metabolites obtained via spatial metabolomics. Adapted from Zhang et al (66), https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13030324, under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license: Glucose and glutamate in this figure are adapted from Fig. 8 of this study, AMP from Fig. 9, choline from Fig. 10, and SM(34:1), LysoPG(18:1), PG(32:0), PS(36:1), PC(34:1) and PE(34:1) from Figs. 6 and 7. The images compare the control CON and DKD groups across two models (HFD and STZ treated rats, db/db mice), with the color scale (from 0 to 100%) indicating metabolite abundance. Scale bar, 3 mm. CON, control; DKD, diabetic kidney disease; HFD, high-fat diet; STZ, streptozotocin; PG, phosphatidylglycerol; LysoPG, lysophosphatidylglycerol; PS, phosphatidylserine; PC/PE, the ratio of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine; SM(34:1), SM(d18:1/16:0); SM, sphingomyelin; AMP, adenosine monophosphate; GMP, guanosine monophosphate.

The core value of spatial metabolomics lies in addressing the 'where' and 'how' questions that conventional techniques cannot resolve, thereby revealing the molecular mechanisms and causal relationships driving pathological processes. It is known that metabolic disorders disrupt cellular energy homeostasis; for example, in the renal hyperglycemic environment, the pentose phosphate, polyol and hexosamine pathways are activated, leading to the local accumulation of toxic metabolites, which in turn activate key signaling pathways and ultimately trigger core pathological processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress and fibrosis (106,107). However, classical metabolomics cannot clearly illustrate in which region of the kidney these metabolic disorders and signaling pathway activations occur, nor how the spatial distribution of metabolites drives pathological processes. This is where spatial metabolomics demonstrates its unique value, and the research on endogenous adenine metabolism is a prime example. The accumulation of adenine in specific regions inhibits 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase whilst activating the mTORC1-S6K signaling axis, thereby translating metabolic dysregulation into typical pathological phenotypes such as cellular hypertrophy and tissue fibrosis (108-111). By integrating spatial metabolomics and spatial proteomics, research has reported that metformin acts in the cortical-medullary outer zone, upregulating nephrosis 2 and inhibiting IL-17 signaling (112). This specifically reverses purine metabolic imbalance, thereby blocking glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis (112). This intuitively shows how the three-dimensional spatial coupling of metabolism, transcription and proteins precisely remodels the pathological microenvironment. Nevertheless, notably, knowledge gaps remain regarding the regional dynamics of metabolites and the precise mechanisms by which they promote renal pathology at the molecular and cellular levels. The key direction for future research should shift from current descriptive associations to systematic functional validation and mechanistic exploration of these spatially anchored metabolites.

As a pivotal methodology for investigating the spatial distribution of metabolites in vivo, spatial metabolomics is an indispensable component of spatial multi-omics research. This technology not only provides a novel spatial perspective for understanding DKD but also deepens the comprehension of disease-specific metabolic processes. However, its application in the field of DKD still faces several pressing challenges that need to be addressed, for example: i) There are limitations in technical sensitivity and resolution. Low-abundance metabolites are prone to loss in imaging (113). Most existing studies only localize metabolites to large anatomical regions, such as the cortex or medulla, and they struggle to accurately depict the true distribution of these metabolites within fine functional units, such as glomeruli and specific tubular segments. If the resolution is enhanced, the acquisition speed may consequently be reduced (114). ii) The identification and annotation of metabolites often lack sufficient precision. When annotating metabolites, certain metabolites, such as isomers, cannot be annotated with absolute certainty (17,115,116). iii) Data analysis and interpretation present challenges. Crucial challenges exist in data and signal processing, data comparability and the need for optimization tailored to each tissue type (117). These challenges indicate that engineers and researchers need to address the shortcomings to provide more accurate spatial metabolic maps for the mechanistic analysis of complex diseases such as DKD.

Moreover, spatial metabolomics can directly present actual biochemical activities and functional metabolic outcomes, offering new opportunities for DKD research: Firstly, applying integrated spatial multi-omics to establish causal mechanisms. As life science research progresses, single-omics approaches are increasingly inadequate for comprehensively deciphering complex biological processes. The integration of spatial metabolomics with transcriptomics and proteomics has become more prevalent (118). By integrating data from spatial metabolomics and spatial transcriptomics, researchers can associate changes in metabolite levels with alterations in gene expression, enabling a deeper exploration of the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic regulation (119). Secondly, targeted strategies can address regional metabolic heterogeneity. This moves beyond conventional treatment, enabling precision medicine. Spatial metabolomics technology can assess changes in the distribution of metabolites after drug intervention, effectively evaluate DKD drugs, clarify the mechanism of drug treatment and monitor treatment responses, thereby helping to further optimize treatment regimens (31). By combining nanotechnology with drug targeted delivery systems, precise treatment can be implemented for specific regions of metabolic heterogeneity (120). The combined application of these technologies could provide new possibilities for formulating personalized DKD treatment plans and achieving accurate prognostic assessment for patients with DKD (Fig. 4).

Spatial metabolomics-driven precision
medicine research for DKD. This framework illustrates the
multi-omics integration strategy of spatial metabolomics with
single-cell transcriptomics, epigenomics and pathological imaging.
Leveraging AI-powered data mining technologies, a
'metabolite-gene-cell' spatial interaction network is constructed
to systematically decipher the heterogeneous pathological
mechanisms of DKD. This network further generates three major
clinical translation outcomes: Novel spatial biomarkers, precise
molecular typing systems and efficient therapeutic targets.
Ultimately, these findings support the development of precision
treatment strategies and promote the advancement of precision
medicine in DKD diagnosis and treatment through therapeutic
efficacy monitoring. DKD, diabetic kidney disease; AI, artificial
intelligence.

Figure 4

Spatial metabolomics-driven precision medicine research for DKD. This framework illustrates the multi-omics integration strategy of spatial metabolomics with single-cell transcriptomics, epigenomics and pathological imaging. Leveraging AI-powered data mining technologies, a 'metabolite-gene-cell' spatial interaction network is constructed to systematically decipher the heterogeneous pathological mechanisms of DKD. This network further generates three major clinical translation outcomes: Novel spatial biomarkers, precise molecular typing systems and efficient therapeutic targets. Ultimately, these findings support the development of precision treatment strategies and promote the advancement of precision medicine in DKD diagnosis and treatment through therapeutic efficacy monitoring. DKD, diabetic kidney disease; AI, artificial intelligence.

Conclusion

The present review systematically examines the regional metabolic characteristics of DKD, and it highlights the unique value of spatial metabolomics in elucidating the pathological mechanisms of DKD. With continuous improvements in spatial resolution and quantitative analytical techniques, this technology is expected to serve a critical role in the precision diagnosis and treatment of DKD. Future research may delve deeper into the cellular level, focusing on elucidating the more refined spatial localization and functional associations of specific metabolites. With the continuous advancement of multi-center data accumulation and clinical trial validation, region-specific metabolites or key enzymes are expected to be translated into reliable diagnostic biomarkers and intervenable therapeutic targets. Such initiatives will enable the tailored development of individualized therapies, ultimately boosting early diagnostic efficiency and optimizing long-term outcomes for patients with DKD.

Availability of data and materials

Not applicable.

Authors' contributions

HL made substantial contributions to writing the original draft, reviewing and editing the manuscript, acquiring resources, conducting investigation, developing the conceptualization and performing visualization. TZ participated in reviewing and editing the manuscript, carrying out investigation, securing funding acquisition and conceptualization. DF contributed to reviewing and editing the manuscript, as well as conceptualization. YL and BZ both took part in reviewing and editing the manuscript, and visualization. WC and GM were involved in visualization and investigation. JR made contributions to writing the original draft and visualization. SD participated in investigation and visualization. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript. Data authentication is not applicable.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Patient consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Funding

The present study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 82374224), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (grant no. 7252270), the Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project (grant no. 2023ZD0509306), National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (grant no. 2024-NHLHCRF-PY I-07) and National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (grant no. 2024-NHLHCRF-JBGS-ZH-01).

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
Spandidos Publications style
Li H, Li Y, Zhang B, Cheng W, Ma G, Rong J, Duan S, Feng D and Zhao T: <p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>. Int J Mol Med 57: 76, 2026.
APA
Li, H., Li, Y., Zhang, B., Cheng, W., Ma, G., Rong, J. ... Zhao, T. (2026). <p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 57, 76. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2026.5747
MLA
Li, H., Li, Y., Zhang, B., Cheng, W., Ma, G., Rong, J., Duan, S., Feng, D., Zhao, T."<p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 57.4 (2026): 76.
Chicago
Li, H., Li, Y., Zhang, B., Cheng, W., Ma, G., Rong, J., Duan, S., Feng, D., Zhao, T."<p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 57, no. 4 (2026): 76. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2026.5747
Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Li H, Li Y, Zhang B, Cheng W, Ma G, Rong J, Duan S, Feng D and Zhao T: <p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>. Int J Mol Med 57: 76, 2026.
APA
Li, H., Li, Y., Zhang, B., Cheng, W., Ma, G., Rong, J. ... Zhao, T. (2026). <p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 57, 76. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2026.5747
MLA
Li, H., Li, Y., Zhang, B., Cheng, W., Ma, G., Rong, J., Duan, S., Feng, D., Zhao, T."<p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 57.4 (2026): 76.
Chicago
Li, H., Li, Y., Zhang, B., Cheng, W., Ma, G., Rong, J., Duan, S., Feng, D., Zhao, T."<p>Spatial metabolomics: A new tool for unravelling the metabolic disorders and heterogeneity in diabetic kidney disease (Review)</p>". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 57, no. 4 (2026): 76. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2026.5747
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