Largazole Pharmacokinetics in Rats by LC-MS/MS

A highly sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of largazole thiol, the active species of the marine-derived preclinical histone deacetylase inhibitor, largazole (prodrug), was developed and validated. Largazole thiol was extracted with ethyl acetate from human or rat plasma along with the internal standard, harmine. Samples were separated on an Onyx Monolithic C18 column by a stepwise gradient elution with 0.1% formic acid in methanol and 0.1% aqueous formic acid employing multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) detection. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the range of 12.5–400 ng/mL with 200 µL of human plasma. The overall intra-day precision was from 3.87% to 12.6%, and the inter-day precision was from 7.12% to 9.8%. The accuracy at low, medium and high concentrations ranged from 101.55% to 105.84%. Plasma protein bindings of largazole thiol in human and rat plasma as determined by an ultrafiltration method were 90.13% and 77.14%, respectively. Plasma drug concentrations were measured by this LC-MS/MS method. The pharmacokinetics of largazole thiol in rats was studied following i.v. administration at 10 mg/kg and found to follow a two-compartment model. Largazole thiol was rapidly eliminated from systemic circulation within 2 h. The established LC-MS/MS method is suitable for the analysis of largazole thiol in human plasma, as well.     

In Vivo Metabolism Study of Xiamenmycin A in Mouse Plasma by UPLC-QTOF-MS and LC-MS/MS

Xiamenmycin A is an antifibrotic leading compound with a benzopyran skeleton that is isolated from mangrove-derived Streptomyces xiamenensis. As a promising small molecule for fibrotic diseases, less information is known about its metabolic characteristics in vivo. In this study, the time-course of xiamenmycin A in mouse plasma was investigated by relative quantification. After two types of administration of xiamenmycin A at a single dose of 10 mg/kg, the plasma concentrations were measured quantitatively by LC-MS/MS. The dynamic changes in the xiamenmycin A concentration showed rapid absorption and quick elimination in plasma post-administration. Four metabolites (M1–M4) were identified in blood by UPLC-QTOF-MS, and xiamenmycin B (M3) is the principal metabolite in vivo, as verified by comparison of the authentic standard sample. The structures of other metabolites were identified based on the characteristics of their MS and MS/MS data. The newly identified metabolites are useful for understanding the metabolism of xiamenmycin A in vivo, aiming at the development of an anti-fibrotic drug candidate for the therapeutic treatment of excessive fibrotic diseases.     

UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS法分析水洗与去皮对莲雾和番石榴果实农药残留的影响

为了掌握皮可食水果农药残留在简单家庭式处理前后的变化,以莲雾和番石榴果实为材料,建立了11种农药(克百威、3-羟基克百威、啶虫脒、多菌灵、甲基硫菌灵、毒死蜱、马拉硫磷、噻虫嗪、除虫脲、噻嗪酮和水胺硫磷)残留的超高效液相色谱串联四级杆飞行时间质谱仪(UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS)测定方法。11种农药线性关系良好,相关系数大于0.999,检出限(S/N=3)为0.002~0.003 mg/kg,回收率范围为71%~120%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.6%~9.2%。该方法样品前处理简单快速,灵敏度和精密度高,适用于对水果样品农药多残留进行测定。水洗与去皮处理后农药残留检测结果表明,水洗是去除莲雾和番石榴果实农药残留的良好方式,去皮则是比水洗更为高效的方式。建议在食用热带皮可食水果前先进行充分清洗,最好去皮后食用。     

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of a Depolymerized Glycosaminoglycan from Holothuria fuscopunctata,a Novel Anticoagulant Candidate,in Rats by Bioanalytical Methods

dHG-5 (Mw 5.3 kD) is a depolymerized glycosaminoglycan from sea cucumber Holothuria fuscopunctata. As a selective inhibitor of intrinsic Xase (iXase), preclinical study showed it was a promising anticoagulant candidate without obvious bleeding risk. In this work, two bioanalytical methods based on the anti-iXase and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) prolongation activities were established and validated to determine dHG-5 concentrations in plasma and urine samples. After single subcutaneous administration of dHG-5 at 5, 9, and 16.2 mg/kg to rats, the time to peak concentration (T_max) was at about 1 h, and the peak concentration (C_max) was 2.70, 6.50, and 10.11 μg/mL, respectively. The plasma elimination half-life(T_1/2β) was also about 1 h and dHG-5 could be almost completely absorbed after s.c. administration. Additionally, the pharmacodynamics of dHG-5 was positively correlated with its pharmacokinetics, as determined by rat plasma APTT and anti-iXase method, respectively. dHG-5 was mainly excreted by urine as the unchanged parent drug and about 60% was excreted within 48 h. The results suggested that dHG-5 could be almost completely absorbed after subcutaneous injection and the pharmacokinetics of dHG-5 are predictable. Studying pharmacokinetics of dHG-5 could provide valuable information for future clinical studies.     

茶叶中EGCG对非酒精性脂肪肝大鼠的调脂保肝作用研究

非酒精性脂肪肝是以肝实质细胞发生脂肪堆积和脂肪变性为主要特征,并伴随机体脂质代谢紊乱的一种获得性代谢疾病。以高脂饲料喂养大鼠,建立非酒精性脂肪肝大鼠模型;以低、中、高剂量（10、50、100 mg·kg^-1）表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯（EGCG）分别灌胃模型大鼠,探讨茶叶中EGCG对非酒精性脂肪肝大鼠的调脂保肝作用。结果表明,与模型组相比,EGCG能显著降低血清中甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）和低密度脂蛋白-胆固醇（LDL-C）含量,降低丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）和天冬氨酸转氨酶（AST）活性水平,提高高密度脂蛋白-胆固醇（HDL-C）的含量,改善大鼠肝脏氧化应激状态。此外,肝脏病理切片显示,EGCG能减少肝细胞中脂滴的形成,同时脂质代谢相关基因表达量分析显示,EGCG能调理肝脏的脂质代谢。综合以上实验结果表明,EGCG能显著改善非酒精性脂肪肝大鼠的脂质代谢紊乱和脂肪性肝损伤。     

固相萃取-GC/LC-MS/MS测定茶叶中79种农药残留

建立了一套以一次固相萃取前处理方法,运用气相色谱-串联质谱（GC-MS/MS）和液相色谱-串联质谱（LC-MS/MS）两种检测技术,测定茶叶中79种农药残留的可靠、快速、高通量检测方法。该方法用20βmL乙腈一次均质提取,分取提取液10βmL,用乙腈+甲苯（3∶1）20βmL洗脱过Carbon/NH₂小柱净化,用5βmL乙腈定容混匀,于GC-MS/MS和LC-MS/MS同时检测。结果表明,79种农药在0.01~0.40βmg·L^-1范围内线性良好,相关系数（R²）在0.995以上;高、低、中3种水平加标回收率在67.3%~130.8%内;相对标准偏差（RSD）在15%内;98.7%的农药定量限（LOQ）≤0.01βmg·kg^-1;使用多种类茶叶实际检测,结果均合格。因此,该方法能同时检测含有机磷、有机氯、拟除虫菊酯类、氨基甲酸酯类和有机杂环类5大类农药,更有利于大批量茶叶样品的多农残检测。     

UPLC-MS/MS法检测稻米中苄嘧磺隆和苯噻酰草胺的残留量

建立了水稻中提取苄嘧磺隆和苯噻酰草胺残留量的液相色谱-质谱/质谱测定方法 UPLC-MS/MS。稻米样品经乙腈匀浆,上清液经氮气吹干浓缩,过PSA固相萃取柱净化,经UPLC-MS/MS测定,外标法定量。苄嘧磺隆在稻米中的最低检出量为0.1 ng,最低检出浓度为0.02 mg/kg,添加回收率为77.7%-91.5%,稻米的RSD为2.9%-8.5%;苯噻酰草胺在稻米中的最低检出量为0.05 ng,最低检出浓度为0.01 mg/kg,添加回收率为94.0%-109.0%,稻米的RSD为5.0%-8.2%。建立方法准确、快速、灵敏度高,能够满足苄嘧磺隆和苯噻酰草胺残留量分析的要求。     

Astaxanthin Exerts Immunomodulatory Effect by Regulating SDH-HIF-1α Axis and Reprogramming Mitochondrial Metabolism in LPS-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells

Astaxanthin (AX) is a carotenoid that exerts potent antioxidant activity and acts in cell membranes and mitochondria, which consist of the bilayer molecules. Targeting mitochondria to ameliorate inflammatory diseases by regulating mitochondrial metabolism has become possible and topical. Although AX has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in various cells, the mechanisms are quite different. In particular, the role of AX on mitochondrial metabolism in macrophages is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of AX on mitochondria-mediated inflammation and its mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AX attenuated the mitochondrial O₂⁻ production and maintained the mitochondrial membrane potential, implying that AX preserved mitochondrial homeostasis to avoid LPS stimulation-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, AX prevented the decrease in mitochondrial complexes I, II, and III, which were caused by LPS stimulation. Especially, AX inhibited the reduction in mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase (SDH; complex II) activity and upregulated the protein and mRNA level of SDH complex, subunit B. Furthermore, AX blocked the IL-1β expression by regulating the SDH-HIF-1α axis and suppressed the energy shift from an OXPHOS phenotype to a glycolysis phenotype. These findings revealed important effects of AX on mitochondrial enzymes as well as on mitochondrial energy metabolism in the immune response. In addition, these raised the possibility that AX plays an important role in other diseases caused by SDH mutation and metabolic disorders.     

茶园土壤钾素容量／强度关系及施用钾镁肥的影响

对我国主要茶区茶园土壤分析结果表明，土壤钾素含量大都处于中等水平以下，且呈地带性分布，即缓效钾的含量由北而南下降，速效钾占缓效钾的比例由北而南增加。对土壤钾素容量／强度（Ｑ／Ｉ）分析表明，茶园土壤钾素的ＡＲｋｅ（强度指标）通常都小于０．０１（ｍｏｌ／ｌ）－１２。施用钾肥能显著提高供钾强度指标ＡＲｋｅ和ΔＫ０（容量指标）。施镁能增加ＡＲｋｅ，但对ΔＫ０和ＰＢＣｋ（缓冲能力）无明显影响。不施钾处理土壤的ＡＲｋｅ和ΔＫ０均趋于下降     

Analytical challenges: determination of tetrodotoxin in human urine and plasma by LC-MS/MS

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a powerful sodium channel blocker found in puffer fish and some marine animals. Cases of TTX poisoning most often result from puffer fish ingestion. Diagnosis is mainly from patient's signs and symptoms or the detection of TTX in the leftover food. If leftover food is unavailable, the determination of TTX in the patient's urine and/or plasma is essential to confirm the diagnosis. Although various methods for the determination of TTX have been published, most of them are for food tissue samples. Dealing with human urine and blood samples is much more challenging. Unlike in food, the amount of toxin in the urine and blood of a patient is generally extremely low; therefore a very sensitive method is required to detect it. In this regard, mass spectrometry (MS) methods are the best choice. Since TTX is a very polar compound, there will be lack of retention on conventional reverse-phase columns; use of ion pair reagent or hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) can help solve this problem. The problem of ion suppression is another challenge in analyzing polar compound in biological samples. This review will discuss different MS methods and their pros and cons.     

固相萃取-高效液相色谱串联质谱法测定油菜薹中反式维生素K1含量

为准确测定反式维生素K1的含量,建立了基于固相萃取-高效液相色谱串联质谱的甘蓝型油菜（Brassica napus L.）菜薹反式维生素K1高灵敏检测技术。样品经正己烷提取、中性氧化铝柱净化后,用C30反相色谱柱,以甲醇 （含0.025%甲酸+2.5 mmol/L甲酸铵）为流动相,采用选择反应监测（selected reaction monitoring, SRM）模式进行定量分析,20 min内可实现顺反异构体色谱分离。方法学考察结果显示,反式维生素K1在范围内线性关系良好,相关系数为0.9985。该方法检出限为0.29 μg/kg,定量限为0.95 μg/kg。回收率为87.5%～117.6%,精密度（RSD）在0.72% ～9.59%之间。利用该方法对油菜薹和反式维生素K1含量高的3种蔬菜进行分析,发现油菜薹中反式维生素K1含量为340.08 μg/100g,高于小白菜（B. rapa spp. chinensis,260.93 μg/100g）、西兰花（B. oleracea var. Italic Planch, 167.65 μg/100g）和结球甘蓝（B. oleracea var. capitata,151.11 μg/100g）。本文建立的蔬菜中反式维生素K1准确定量分析方法操作简单、灵敏度高、结果准确。同时比较发现油菜薹是一种富含维生素K1的蔬菜。      

气相色谱串联质谱法测定土壤中除草剂残留含量

以气相色谱串联质谱法(GC-MS/MS)多反应监测(MRM)方式进行定量和定性分析建立了土壤中除草剂莠去津、塞克津、2,4-D丁酯残留含量的联合测定方法。结果表明,本方法有效地降低了样品复杂基质带来的干扰,简化了分析步骤。采用外标法定量测得回收率为73%～104%,标准偏差为5.9%～11.5%,方法的回收率和线性关系结果令人满意,实验证明,该方法快速、准确、灵敏度高,适用于土壤中除草剂莠去津、塞克津、2,4-D丁酯残留含量的联合检测。     

UPLC-MS/MS法测定水稻中噁唑酰草胺和氰氟草酯及其代谢物的残留及膳食风险评估

建立了使用分散固相萃取的QuEChERS前处理方法,并通过超高效液相色谱串联质谱(Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry,UPLC-MS/MS)对糙米、稻壳和秸秆样品中的噁唑酰草胺和氰氟草酯及其代谢物成功进行了定量测定.结果 表明...     

Phenolic Compounds Determined by LC-MS/MS and <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vitro</Emphasis> Antioxidant Capacity of Brazilian Fruits in Two Edible Ripening Stages

The aim of this study was to investigate the free individual phenolics and the in vitro antioxidant capacity of blackberry, acerola, yellow guava, guabiju, jambolan and jabuticaba fruits in two edible stages. Of the thirty-three phenolics investigated by liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), twenty-five were quantified and the major ones were catechin, isoquercitrin, epicatechin and gallic acid. The highest values for the total phenolic content (in dry matter) were observed for acerola (83.6 to 97.7 mg gallic acid equivalents g^?1 DM) and blackberry (18.9 to 28.3 mg gallic acid equivalents g^?1 DM); however, acerola, jabuticaba, and blackberry showed the highest antioxidant capacities (134.6 to 1120.4 mg Trolox equivalents g^?1 for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 43.6 to 501.8 μmol Trolox equivalents g^?1 for ferric reducing antioxidant power). For most fruits, the antioxidant capacity decreased during the ripening, possibly due to a decrease in the concentration of most of the phenolics.     

晋麦47幼苗中一个水分胁迫应答蛋白的SDS-PAGE和Nano LC-MS/MS鉴定

水分胁迫应答蛋白的表达与小麦品种的抗旱性密切相关。为了明确与抗旱相关的水分胁迫D-应答蛋白的表达特点及蛋白组成,对小麦品种晋麦47幼苗进行不同供水量处理,应用SDS-PAGE、纳升级液相色谱-电喷雾串联质谱联用技术(Nano LC-MS/MS),分析了水分胁迫D-应答蛋白条带表达量的变化和蛋白组成。SDS-PAGE检测结果表明,水分胁迫D-应答蛋白条带在-0.5 MPa PEG-6000水溶液胁迫下,6 h出现可见表达,胁迫至48 h时表达量最大,之后,此蛋白条带的表达量又逐渐下降;幼苗胁迫48 h后恢复正常供水,复水72 h后该蛋白消失。切取正常供水和胁迫处理两个条件下SDS-PAGE胶差异表达蛋白条带,经质谱分析分别获得两个阳性结果,且正常供水和PEG-6000胁迫两种处理条件下D-应答蛋白组成一致,均由核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶大亚基和磷酸甘油酸变位酶组成(P<0.05);PEG-6000胁迫条件下两个蛋白(亚基)的鉴定得分分别为1 632和88,覆盖率分别为30%和21%;在鉴定的肽段中,有65个肽段同属于核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶大亚基,其中35个肽段可信度均超过阈值分数;有5个肽段同属于磷酸甘油酸变位酶,其中4个肽段的可信度超过阈值分数。结果表明该蛋白条带可能主要由核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶大亚基等组成。     

Microbial Diversity and Phage–Host Interactions in the Georgian Coastal Area of the Black Sea Revealed by Whole Genome Metagenomic Sequencing

Viruses have the greatest abundance and highest genetic diversity in marine ecosystems. The interactions between viruses and their hosts is one of the hot spots of marine ecology. Besides their important role in various ecosystems, viruses, especially bacteriophages and their gene pool, are of enormous interest for the development of new gene products with high innovation value. Various studies have been conducted in diverse ecosystems to understand microbial diversity and phage–host interactions; however, the Black Sea, especially the Eastern coastal area, remains among the least studied ecosystems in this regard. This study was aimed at to fill this gap by analyzing microbial diversity and bacteriophage–host interactions in the waters of Eastern Black Sea using a metagenomic approach. To this end, prokaryotic and viral metagenomic DNA from two sampling sites, Poti and Gonio, were sequenced on the Illumina Miseq platform and taxonomic and functional profiles of the metagenomes were obtained using various bioinformatics tools. Our metagenomics analyses allowed us to identify the microbial communities, with Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinibacteria, and Firmicutes found to be the most dominant bacterial phyla and Synechococcus and Candidatus Pelagibacter phages found to be the most dominant viral groups in the Black Sea. As minor groups, putative phages specific to human pathogens were identified in the metagenomes. We also characterized interactions between the phages and prokaryotic communities by determining clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), prophage-like sequences, and integrase/excisionase sequences in the metagenomes, along with identification of putative horizontally transferred genes in the viral contigs. In addition, in the viral contig sequences related to peptidoglycan lytic activity were identified as well. This is the first study on phage and prokaryote diversity and their interactions in the Eastern coastal area of the Black Sea using a metagenomic approach.     

First Identification of 5,11-Dideoxytetrodotoxin in Marine Animals,and Characterization of Major Fragment Ions of Tetrodotoxin and Its Analogs by High Resolution ESI-MS/MS

Even though tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a widespread toxin in marine and terrestrial organisms, very little is known about the biosynthetic pathway used to produce it. By describing chemical structures of natural analogs of TTX, we can start to identify some of the precursors that might be important for TTX biosynthesis. In the present study, an analog of TTX, 5,11-dideoxyTTX, was identified for the first time in natural sources, the ovary of the pufferfish and the pharynx of a flatworm (planocerid sp. 1), by comparison with totally synthesized (−)-5,11-dideoxyTTX, using high resolution ESI-LC-MS. Based on the presence of 5,11-dideoxyTTX together with a series of known deoxy analogs, 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX, 6,11-dideoxyTTX, 11-deoxyTTX, and 5-deoxyTTX, in these animals, we predicted two routes of stepwise oxidation pathways in the late stages of biosynthesis of TTX. Furthermore, high resolution masses of the major fragment ions of TTX, 6,11-dideoxyTTX, and 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX were also measured, and their molecular formulas and structures were predicted to compare them with each other. Although both TTX and 5,6,11-trideoxyTTX give major fragment ions that are very close, m/z 162.0660 and 162.1020, respectively, they are distinguishable and predicted to be different molecular formulas. These data will be useful for identification of TTXs using high resolution LC-MS/MS.     

Anti-Photoaging Effect of Hydrolysates from Pacific Whiting Skin via MAPK/AP-1, NF-κB,TGF-β/Smad,and Nrf-2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway in UVB-Induced Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light promotes the breakdown of collagen in the skin and disrupts the extracellular matrix (ECM) structure, leading to skin wrinkling. Pacific whiting (Merluccius productus) is a fish abundant on the Pacific coast. In the current study, we investigated the anti-wrinkle effect of hydrolysate from Pacific whiting skin gelatin (PWG) in UVB-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts and the molecular mechanisms involved. PWG effectively restored type 1 procollagen synthesis reduced by UVB-irradiation. Also, we found that PWG inhibited collagen degradation by inhibiting MMP1 expression. Furthermore, PWG decreased cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β associated with inflammatory responses and increased antioxidant enzymes, HO-1, SOD, GPx, CAT, and GSH content, a defense system against oxidative stress. In terms of molecular mechanisms, PWG increased collagen synthesis through activating the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/Smad pathway and decreased collagen degradation through inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinases/activator protein 1 (MAPK/AP-1) pathway. It also suppressed the inflammatory response through suppressing the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway and increased antioxidant enzyme activity through activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2/heme oxygenase 1 (Nrf-2/HO-1) pathway. These multi-target mechanisms suggest that PWG may serve as an effective anti-photoaging material.     

Farmers’ perceptions,knowledge and management of aflatoxins in groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) in India

Aflatoxins, produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus Link ex Fries and Aspergillus parasiticus Speare, are the major toxins affecting the quality of groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) meant for human consumption. Groundnuts can be infected with aflatoxin-producing fungi pre-harvest, at harvest and post-harvest. This survey was conducted in Gujarat province in India in order to assess farmers’ and other stakeholders’ (extension staff and traders) perceptions and knowledge of aflatoxin contamination of groundnuts and to evaluate the agronomic and market practices used to manage it. The survey investigated the effects of the socioeconomic background of the farmers. The results showed that the socioeconomic and psychological characteristics, viz. education, caste, farm size, social participation, extension participation, market orientation, economic motivation, innovativeness and perception had positive and significant associations with farmers’ knowledge. The extension staff and traders had a good understanding of the problem and of the importance of managing aflatoxin contamination but farmers did not. Farmers’ who practised effective crop husbandry in order to increase production were unwittingly managing aflatoxin contamination to some extent. Their marketing practises showed that the problem of aflatoxin contamination was neglected at both the production and marketing stages. We suggest that extension agencies need to train farmers in the use of biological control agents, post-harvest management and identification of aflatoxin contamination. Partnerships need to be forged between research institutions, the departments of agriculture of various states, marketing agencies, NGOs, farmers’ groups, consumer groups, agrochemical manufacturers and other stakeholders in order to develop strategies for addressing the problem of aflatoxin contamination.