Recent developments and contributions from Chinese scientists in multidimensional separations for proteomics and traditional Chinese medicines

Multiplex Brain Proteomic Analysis Revealed the Molecular Therapeutic Effects of Buyang Huanwu Decoction on Cerebral Ischemic Stroke Mice

Stroke is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, and tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) is the only drug used for a limited group of stroke patients in the acute phase. Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD), a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has long been used for improving neurological functional recovery in stroke. In this study, we characterized the therapeutic effect of TPA and BHD in a cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (CIR) injury mouse model using multiplex proteomics approach. After the iTRAQ-based proteomics analysis, 1310 proteins were identified from the mouse brain with <1% false discovery rate. Among them, 877 quantitative proteins, 10.26% (90/877), 1.71% (15/877), and 2.62% (23/877) of the proteins was significantly changed in the CIR, BHD treatment, and TPA treatment, respectively. Functional categorization analysis showed that BHD treatment preserved the integrity of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) (Alb, Fga, and Trf), suppressed excitotoxicity (Grm5, Gnai, and Gdi), and enhanced energy metabolism (Bdh), thereby revealing its multiple effects on ischemic stroke mice. Moreover, the neurogenesis marker doublecortin was upregulated, and the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and Tau was inhibited, which represented the neuroprotective effects. However, TPA treatment deteriorated BBB breakdown. This study highlights the potential of BHD in clinical applications for ischemic stroke.

Proteomic analysis of the effect of fuzheng huayu recipe on fibrotic liver in rats

Hepatic fibrosis is a common pathological process of chronic liver diseases and would lead to cirrhosis, and Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) is an effective Chinese herbal product against liver fibrosis. This study observes FZHY influence on proteome of fibrotic liver with differential proteomic approach and aims to understand FZHY multiple action mechanisms on liver fibrosis. The liver fibrosis models were induced with intraperitoneal injection of dimethylnitrosamine for 4 weeks in rats and divided into model control (model) and FZHY-treated (FZHY) groups, while normal rats were used as normal control (normal). After model establishment, rats in FZHY groups were administered 4 g/kg wt of FZHY for 4 weeks, and normal and model groups were given the same volume of saline. The liver proteins in the above 3 groups were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), the differentially expressed spots were analyzed and compared between normal and model or model and FZHY groups, and then the proteins were identified with mass spectrum analysis and validated partially with western blot and real-time PCR. 1000~1200 spots were displayed on each 2D gel, and a total of 61 protein spots were found with significant intensity difference between normal control or FZHY and model control. 23 most obviously differential spots were excised, and in-gel digestion and 21 peptide mass fingerprints (PMF) were obtained with MALDI-TOF MS analysis, and 14 proteins were identified through protein database searching. Among 14 differentially expressed proteins, 8 proteins in normal and FZHY groups had the same tendency of differential expression compared with the ones in model group. And one of them, vimentin, was validated by western blot and real-time PCR analyses. Our study reveals 12 proteins responsible for fibrogenesis induced by DMN in rats, and among them, 8 proteins in fibrotic liver were regulated by FZHY, including aldehyde dehydrogenase, vimentin isoform (CRA_b), gamma-actin, vimentin, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase B, aldo-keto reductase, S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase isoform, and HSP90. It indicates that the action mechanism of FZHY antiliver fibrosis may be associated with modulation of proteins associated with metabolism and stress response, as well as myofibroblast activation. The study provides new insights and data for exploring the liver fibrogenesis pathophysiology and FZHY action mechanism against liver fibrosis.

Mass spectrometry detection in comprehensive liquid chromatography: basic concepts, instrumental aspects, applications and trends

The review, as can be deduced from the title, focuses on both theoretical and practical aspects of the use of mass spectrometry as a third, added dimension to a comprehensive LC (LC × LC) system, generating the most powerful analytical tool today for non-volatile analytes. The first part deals with the technical requirements for linkage of an LC × LC system to an MS one, including the choice of the mobile phase (buffer and salts), flow rate (splitting), type of ionization (interface); advantages and disadvantages of off-line and on-line methods are discussed, as well. A discussion of the various aspects of instrumentation is provided, both from a chromatographic and mass spectrometry standpoint, with particular emphasis directed to the choice of column sets, spatial resolution, mass resolving power, mass accuracy, and tandem-MS capabilities. The extent to which mass spectrometry may be of aid in unraveling column-outlet multicompound bands is highlighted, along with its effectiveness as a chromatographic detector of excellent sensitivity, universality yet with potential in terms of selectivity and amenability to quantitative analysis over a wide dynamic range. The following section of the review contains significant applications of comprehensive two-dimensional LC coupled to MS in different areas of research, with details on interfaces, column stationary phases, modulation and MS parameters. It is not the intention of the authors to provide a comprehensive description of the techniques, but merely to discuss only those aspects which are essential for successful applications of the LC-MS combination. The reader will be acquainted with the enormous potential of this hyphenated technique, and the factors and instrumental developments that have concurred to make it emerge to a central role in specialized fields, such as proteomics.

Application of Proteomics in Chinese Medicine Research

Proteomics technologies can be applied to simultaneously study the function, organization, diversity, and dynamic variety of a cell or a whole tissue. The integrative approach of proteomics is in line with the holistic concept and practices of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this review, the technologies of proteomics, their adoption leverages the depth and breadth of TCM research are introduced. This article presents some examples to illustrate the use of proteomics technologies in the study of pharmacological effects and their action mechanisms relevant to TCM. Proteomics technologies could be used to screen the target molecules of the TCM actions, identify new bioactive components, and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of their effects. With proteomics approaches, it was found that the Siwu decoction could regulate the protein expression of the bone marrow of blood (Xue) deficient mice, including some proteins and enzymes involved in the hemopoiesis system. Ganoderma lucidum spores might promote the survival and axon regeneration of injured spinal motor neurons in rats by regulating the expression levels of proteins involved in the energy and tissue regeneration system. Polygonatum zanlanscianense Pamp exhibited cytotoxicity towards human myeloblast leukemia HL-60 cells through multiple apoptosis-including pathways. Panax ginseng might be beneficial to patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and its complications by alleviating inflammation. Taken together with a discussion on the challenges and perspectives, this paper provides an overview of the recent developments of proteomics technologies in TCM research, and contends that proteomics will play an important role in the modernization and internationalization of TCM.

Separation and identification of flavonoids from complex samples using off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

In this study, a LC-based identification strategy was proposed and off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography was developed for the separation and identification of flavonoids from complex samples. The highly orthogonal separation system was composed of a CD column, an OEG column and an XTerra C(18) column. The CD column was employed for the first dimensional separation and the OEG column and XTerra C(18) column were used for the second dimensional separation in parallel. A mixture of six traditional Chinese medicines was used as a complex sample in testing this method. Unknown peaks were identified by matching their retention times and accurate mass molecular weights with those of references. The identification efficacy of parallel unidimensional liquid chromatography and off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography was compared, and the latter was demonstrated to be more efficient for the identification of target compounds-especially co-eluted compounds or minor compounds from complex samples.

Establishing an EU-China consortium on traditional Chinese medicine research

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used in the European Union (EU) and attracts intense research interests from European scientists. As an emerging area in Europe, TCM research requires collaboration and coordination of actions. Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in the Post-genomic Era, also known as GP-TCM, is the first ever EU-funded 7th Framework Programme (FP7) coordination action, aiming to inform the best practice and harmonise research on the safety and efficacy of TCM through interdisciplinary exchange of experience and expertise among clinicians and scientists. With its increasingly large pool of expertise across 19 countries including 13 EU member states, Australia, Canada, China, Norway, Thailand and the USA, the consortium provides forums and collaboration platforms on quality control, extraction technology, component analysis, toxicology, pharmacology and regulatory issues of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), as well as on acupuncture studies, with a particular emphasis on the application of a functional genomics approach. The project officially started in May 2009 and by the time of its conclusion in April 2012 a Europe-based academic society dedicated to TCM research will be founded to carry on the mission of GP-TCM.

Comprehensive multidimensional liquid chromatography: Theory and applications

Comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatographic (LC x LC) techniques can be considered innovative methods only recently developed and adopted in many configurations. The revolutionary aspect of comprehensive two-dimensional techniques, with respect to classical multidimensional (MD) chromatography, is that the entire sample is subjected to the 2D advantage. The major benefit is that the separation capacities of each dimension are multiplied, offering a high peak capacity to resolve samples of great complexity. The first part of the present review briefly describes the theoretical and practical aspects related to the development of a multidimensional comprehensive liquid chromatographic method. Applicational experiences in comprehensive liquid chromatography are then described, divided into four groups, according to the HPLC modes used in the two dimensions and to the nature of the samples analyzed.