Terbium chelation, a specific fluorescent tagging of human transferrin. Optimization of conditions in view of its application to the HPLC analysis of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT)

Development, Optimization, and Clinical Relevance of Lactoferrin Delivery Systems: A Focus on Ocular Delivery

Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional protein found abundantly in secretions, including tears, plays a crucial role in ocular health through its antimicrobial, immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. Advanced delivery systems are desirable to fully leverage its therapeutic potential in treating ocular diseases. The process of Lf quantification for diagnostic purposes underscores the importance of developing reliable, cost-effective detection methods, ranging from conventional techniques to advanced nano-based sensors. Despite the ease and non-invasiveness of topical administration for ocular surface diseases, challenges such as rapid drug elimination necessitate innovations, such as Lf-loaded contact lenses and biodegradable polymeric nanocapsules, to enhance drug stability and bioavailability. Furthermore, overcoming ocular barriers for the treatment of posterior segment disease calls for nano-formulations. The scope of this review is to underline the advancements in nanotechnology-based Lf delivery methods, emphasizing the pivotal role of multidisciplinary approaches and cross-field strategies in improving ocular drug delivery and achieving better therapeutic outcomes for a wide spectrum of eye conditions.

Contact Lens Wear Induces Alterations of Lactoferrin Functionality in Human Tears

The tear film is a complex matrix composed of several molecular classes, from small metal ions to macromolecules. Contact lens (CL) wear can affect the protein homeostasis of the tear film, by accumulating deposits on the CL surface and/or altering their structural and functional properties. This work investigates the effect of CL wear on lactoferrin (Lf), one of the most abundant tear proteins, known as an unspecific biomarker of inflammation. Tears from eight volunteers were collected and analyzed after alternated periods of CL wear and without CL. The experimental approach is to probe Lf into unprocessed human tears by the peculiar fluorescence emission originating from complex formation of Lf with terbium (Tb³⁺) at the iron-binding sites. The experimental data indicate that CL wear does not significantly affect the total amount of Lf. On the other hand, Lf affinity for Tb³⁺ is reduced upon CL wear, suggesting relevant changes in Lf structure and possible alterations of protein functionality. Future studies based on this approach will help define CL features (material, lens-care solution, wearing time, etc.) with minimal effects on tear protein activity, in order to obtain more biocompatible and comfortable devices.

Native mass spectrometry for the investigation of protein structural (dis)order

A central challenge in structural biology is represented by dynamic and heterogeneous systems, as typically represented by proteins in solution, with the extreme case of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) [1-3]. These proteins lack a specific three-dimensional structure and have poorly organized secondary structure. For these reasons, they escape structural characterization by conventional biophysical methods. The investigation of these systems requires description of conformational ensembles, rather than of unique, defined structures or bundles of largely superimposable structures. Mass spectrometry (MS) has become a central tool in this field, offering a variety of complementary approaches to generate structural information on either folded or disordered proteins [4-6]. Two main categories of methods can be recognized. On one side, conformation-dependent reactions (such as cross-linking, covalent labeling, H/D exchange) are exploited to label molecules in solution, followed by the characterization of the labeling products by denaturing MS [7-11]. On the other side, non-denaturing ("native") MS can be used to directly explore the different conformational components in terms of geometry and structural compactness [12-16]. All these approaches have in common the capability to conjugate protein structure investigation with the peculiar analytical power of MS measurements, offering the possibility of assessing species distributions for folding and binding equilibria and the combination of both. These methods can be combined with characterization of noncovalent complexes [17, 18] and post-translational modifications [19-23]. This review focuses on the application of native MS to protein structure and dynamics investigation, with a general methodological section, followed by examples on specific proteins from our laboratory.

Proteotranscriptomic Analysis and Toxicity Assay Suggest the Functional Distinction between Venom Gland Chambers in Twin-Spotted Assassin Bug, Platymeris biguttatus

Assassin bugs use their salivary venoms for various purposes, including defense, prey paralyzation, and extra-oral digestion, but the mechanisms underlying the functional complexity of the venom remain largely unclear. Since venom glands are composed of several chambers, it is suggested that individual chambers may be specialized to produce chemically distinct venoms to exert different functions. The current study assesses this hypothesis by performing toxicity assays and transcriptomic and proteomic analysis on components from three major venom gland chambers including the anterior main gland (AMG), the posterior main gland (PMG), and the accessory gland (AG) of the assassin bug Platymeris biguttatus. Proteotranscriptomic analysis reveals that AMG and PMG extracts are rich in hemolytic proteins and serine proteases, respectively, whereas transferrin and apolipophorin are dominant in the AG. Toxicity assays reveal that secretions from different gland chambers have distinct effects on the prey, with that from AG compromising prey mobility, that from PMG causing prey death and liquifying the corpse, and that from AMG showing no significant physiological effects. Our study reveals a functional cooperation among venom gland chambers of assassin bugs and provides new insights into physiological adaptations to venom-based predation and defense in venomous predatory bugs.

A novel high-throughput liquid chromatography assay for Carbohydrate-Deficient transferrin (CDT) based on flow-modulated isocratic elution and terbium-induced fluorescence

Transferrin is a glycoprotein containing two bi- or tri-antennary carbohydrate chains ending with sialic acid. Its glycosylation is reduced in chronic alcohol abuse and in inborn glycosylation pathologies, where the carbohydrate-deficient fraction of the protein (CDT) increases significantly. The current methods require a gradient chromatographic separation and time-consuming sample preparation. In comparison, the proposed approach uses a novel flow-modulated liquid chromatography technique (fmLC) and a highly selective and sensitive fluorescence derivatization reaction with terbium ion. A fmLC-FLD method using isocratic anion exchange separation was optimized and validated to resolve disialo-transferrin and trisialo-transferrin from other transferrin glycoforms. Detection took place by recording fluorescence at 550 nm wavelength (excitation at 298 nm). The chromatographic separation needed 5 min, allowing seriate injection every 7.5 min. The method was validated according to the current guidelines of analytical chemistry showing adequate accuracy and precision for the quantitative determination of CDT. The proposed method proved also to be suitable to analyse haemolyzed sera which, because of interference by haemoglobin, fail the standard HPLC-Vis analysis. The method was tested in parallel with HPLC-Vis on 131 sera showing an excellent correlation of results proved by a correlation coefficient of 0.995 (Pearson's r). The proposed approach proved much simpler than the current methods and cheaper in terms of instrumental costs offering a ground-breaking analytical tool that could likely make available the characterization of CDT outside specialized laboratories, such as in occupational medicine centres, doctor's offices, small laboratories, alcohol rehabilitation centres, and in developing countries.

A Review of Off-On Fluorescent Nanoprobes: Mechanisms, Properties, and Applications

With the development of nanomaterials, fluorescent nanoprobes have attracted enormous attention in the fields of chemical sensing, optical materials, and biological detection. In this paper, the advantages of "off-on" fluorescent nanoprobes in disease detection, such as high sensitivity and short response time, are attentively highlighted. The characteristics, sensing mechanisms, and classifications of disease-related target substances, along with applications of these nanoprobes in cancer diagnosis and therapy are summarized systematically. In addition, the prospects of "off-on" fluorescent nanoprobe in disease detection are predicted. In this review, we presented information from all the papers published in the last 5 years discussing "off-on" fluorescent nanoprobes. This review was written in the hopes of being useful to researchers who are interested in further developing fluorescent nanoprobes. The characteristics of these nanoprobes are explained systematically, and data references and supports for biological analysis, clinical drug improvement, and disease detection have been provided appropriately.

A proof-of-concept analysis of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin by imaged capillary isoelectric focusing and in-capillary immunodetection

Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is a reliable biomarker for chronic alcohol abuse. We developed a method for CDT analysis by capillary isoelectric focusing, followed by immunodetection directly in the capillary, in an automated fashion and on a single platform (Peggy Sue™; ProteinSimple, CA, USA). Transferrin glycoforms in serum samples, including disialo-transferrin, were separated and their apparent isoelectric points and relative percentages were determined. The relative CDT values (percent of total transferrin) matched expected values for both healthy and alcoholic samples. Because the method leveraged the sensitivity of an immunoassay, CDT was measured when serum samples were diluted up to 1200-fold, reducing the volume of serum required. Finally, the process is fully automated, with up to 96 samples analyzed per batch.