Enrichment Analysis on Differential Metabolites
A total of 211 statistically significant differential metabolites
(VIP>1, p<0.05) were detected, including 128
upregulated metabolites and 83 downregulated metabolites in the VVC
group compared to the CTL group. The 50 highest differential metabolites
were identified and were plotted in a heat map to show the
differentiation among the groups (Fig. 3A). All metabolites were
visualized in a volcano plot (p<0.05, fold
change>1.4 or<0.7) to screen differential
metabolites between the CTL and VVC groups (Fig. 3B). Red and blue
represent significantly increased and decreased metabolites in VVC
group, respectively; insignificant metabolites were portrayed as gray.
In addition, the identified differential metabolites were broadly
classified into 15 categories, mainly containing amino acids,
unsaturated fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids, organic dicarboxylic acids,
fatty acyl carnitines, and so on (Fig. 3C).