Regiospecific analysis of conifer seed triacylglycerols by gas-liquid chromatography with particular emphasis on delta5-olefinic acids

Regio- and Stereospecific Analysis of Triacylglycerols—A Brief Overview of the Challenges and the Achievements

The efforts to reveal, in detail, the molecular and intramolecular structures of one of the main lipid classes, namely, triacyl-sn-glycerols, which are now known to affect their specific and important role in all living organisms, are briefly overviewed. Some milestones of significance in the gradual but continuous development and improvement of the analytical methodology to identify the triacylglycerol regio- and stereoisomers in complex lipid samples are traced throughout the years: the use of chromatography based on different separation principles; the improvements in the chromatographic technique; the development and use of different detection techniques; the attempts to simplify and automatize the analysis without losing the accuracy of identification. The spectacular recent achievements of two- and multidimensional methods used as tools in lipidomics are presented.

Stability and Bioaccessibility of Fucoxanthin in Nanoemulsions Prepared from Pinolenic Acid-contained Structured Lipid

Fucoxanthin intake has been correlated with the functions of anti-obesity and anti-oxidation, but applications of it in functional food or dietary supplements are still challenging due to its poor water-solubility, chemical instability, and low bioavailability. In this work, to study physicochemical and biological properties of fucoxanthin nanoemulsions, we investigated the influence of emulsion particle diameter on the stability of fucoxanthin during storage time and bioaccessibility in-vitro digestion. The structured lipid that enriched pinolenic acid at sn-2 position was chosen as the oil phase and the fucoxanthin oil-in-water nanoemulsions with droplet diameters of 344, 173, and 98 nm were prepared through a high-pressure microfluidizer. Then fucoxanthin emulsions were stored for 28 days at 4, 37, and 55 °C. Results showed that the physical stabilities of droplets were decreased with increases in the initial size and storage temperature, while the change of fucoxanthin retention indicated that fucoxanthin chemical stability was improved with increasing emulsion particle size. The augmentation of lipolysis and the value of free fatty acids (FFA) released in vitro digestion proved that digestion stability of fucoxanthin emulsion reduced with decreasing initial particle diameter, which was probably attributed to the increased surface area interacting with pancreatic lipase with decreasing droplet size. In addition, the concentrations of fucoxanthin in micelle phase were appreciable increased as droplet size decreased. Therefore, the bioaccessibility of fucoxanthin was improved. These results may benefit the optimization of an emulsion-based delivery system for fucoxanthin in food applications.

Shotgun Lipidomics Approach to Stabilize the Regiospecificity of Monoglycerides Using a Facile Low-Temperature Derivatization Enabling Their Definitive Identification and Quantitation

Monoglycerides play a central role in lipid metabolism and are important signaling metabolites. Quantitative analysis of monoglyceride molecular species has remained challenging due to rapid isomerization via α-hydroxy acyl migration. Herein, we describe a shotgun lipidomics approach that utilizes a single-phase methyl tert-butyl ether extraction to minimize acyl migration, a facile low temperature diacetyl derivatization to stabilize regiospecificity, and tandem mass spectrometric analysis to identify and quantify regioisomers of monoglycerides in biological samples. The rapid and robust diacetyl derivatization at low temperatures (e.g., -20 °C, 30 min) prevents postextraction acyl migration and preserves regiospecificity of monoglyceride structural isomers. Furthermore, ionization of ammonium adducts of diacetyl monoglyceride derivatives in positive-ion mode markedly increases analytic sensitivity (low fmol/μL). Critically, diacetyl derivatization enables the differentiation of discrete monoglyceride regioisomers without chromatography through their distinct signature fragmentation patterns during collision induced dissociation. The application of this approach in the analysis of monoglycerides in multiple biologic tissues demonstrated diverse profiles of molecular species. Remarkably, the regiospecificity of individual monoglyceride molecular species is also diverse from tissue to tissue. Collectively, this developed approach enables the profiling, identification and quantitation of monoglyceride regioisomers directly from tissue extracts.

Composition and Bioactivity of Lipophilic Metabolites from Needles and Twigs of Korean and Siberian Pines (Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc. and Pinus sibirica Du Tour)

Lipophilic extractive metabolites in different parts of the shoot system (needles and defoliated twigs) of Korean pine, Pinus koraiensis, and Siberian pine, Pinus sibirica, were studied by GC/MS. Korean pine needles comprised mainly bornyl p-coumarate, heterocyclic 15-O-functionalized labdane type acids (lambertianic acid), 10-nonacosanol, sterols and their esters. While Siberian pine needles contained less bornyl p-coumarate, lambertianic acid, sterols and their esters, but were richer in other 15-O-functionalized labdane type acids. The major components of the twig extract of P. koraiensis were lambertianic acid, abietane and isopimarane type acids, cembrane type alcohols, 8-O-functionalized labdanoids, sterols, sterol esters, and acylglycerols. The same extract of P. sibirica differed in larger amounts of other 15-O-functionalized labdane type acids and pinolenic acid glycerides, but in less quantities of cembranoids and 8-O-functionalized labdanoids. The labdane type pinusolic acid was detected for the first time in Korean pine. P. koraiensis was found to be unique in the genus for an ability to synthesize phyllocladane diterpenoids. The content of bound Δ⁵ -unsaturated polymethylene-interrupted fatty acids in the twig extracts of the both pines was similar or superior to that in their seed oil. Among the pines' metabolites tested isocembrol was strongest in inhibition of both α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ 2.9 μg/ml) and NO production in activated macrophages (IC₅₀ 3.6 μg/ml).

Identification of the botanical origin of pine nuts found in food products by gas-liquid chromatography analysis of fatty acid profile

Pine nuts are traditionally used in various part of the world for the preparation of desserts or sauces or in salads. Local production is not sufficient to cope with the high demand of pine nuts around the world, and countries such as China or Pakistan are exporting much of their production to Western countries. Almost all the nuts that are traditionally consumed belong to the Pinus genus, but over the past years, the number of consumer complaints following consumption of commercial pine nuts increased. Some consumers experienced taste disturbance lasting for up to two weeks after consumption. Food safety agencies raised some concerns regarding pine nuts imported from Asia and their association with taste disturbance. However, even though a formal association has not been found to date, the Pinus genus comprises species that are not classified as edible and could be eventually used to adulterate edible species. Pinus spp. seed lipids are known to contain very specific polyunsaturated fatty acids know as Delta5-olefinic acids. Seed fatty acid profile of conifers had been used in the past as a taxonomic marker, and in the present study to identify the botanical origin of pine nut in nine commercial products. Fast gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) was used to resolve the complete fatty acid profile of Pinus spp. samples in less than 5 min. A diagnostic index based on the relative levels of the main fatty acids including distinctive Delta5-olefinic acids was used to identify botanical origins. Results revealed the occurrence of the following Pinus spp. in commercial products: P. pinea, P. koraiensis, P. gerardiana, P. armandii and P. massoniana. The later two species, known as Chinese white pine and Chinese red pine, are only cultivated in China and are not listed as common source of edible pine nuts by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The present study shows that the botanical origin of pine nuts can be identified in products based on the fatty acid profile.

High-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection characterization of Delta5-polyenoic fatty acids in triacylglycerols from conifer seed oils

Edible conifer seeds can serve as a source of triacylglycerols (TGs) with unusual Delta5 unsaturated polymethylene interrupted fatty acids (UPIFAs), such as cis-5,9-octadecadienoic (taxoleic), cis-5,9,12-octadecatrienoic (pinolenic), cis-5,11-eicosadienoic (keteleeronic) and cis-5,11,14-eicosatrienoic acids (sciadonic). Conifer seed oils from European Larch (Larix decidua), Norway Spruce (Picea abies) and European Silver Fir (Abies alba) have been analyzed by non-aqueous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (NARP-HPLC) with atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI)-MS detection. The influence of different positions of double bonds in Delta5-UPIFAs on the retention and fragmentation behavior is described and used for the successful identification of TGs in each oil. TGs containing Delta5-UPIFAs have a higher retention in comparison with common TGs found in plant oils with single methylene interrupted Delta6(9)-FAs and also significantly changed relative abundances of fragment ions in APCI mass spectra. Results obtained from HPLC/MS analyses are supported by validated GC/FID analyses of fatty acid methyl esters after the transesterification. The total content of Delta5-UPIFAs is about 32% for European Larch, 27% for Norway Spruce and 20% for European Silver Fir. In total, 20 FAs with acyl chain lengths from 16 to 24 carbon atoms and from 0 to 3 double bonds have been identified in 64 triacylglycerols from 3 conifer seed oils.

Dibutyrate derivatization of monoacylglycerols for the resolution of regioisomers of oleic, petroselinic, and cis-vaccenic acids

Dibutyrate derivatives of monoacylglycerols of oleic, petroselinic, and cis-vaccenic acids were prepared by diesterification of monoacylglycerols with n-butyryl chloride. The resulting triacylglycerols were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) with a 65% phenyl methyl silicone capillary column and separated on the basis of both fatty acid composition and regiospecific position. The petroselinic acid derivatives eluted first, followed sequentially by the oleic and cis-vaccenic acid derivatives, with the sn-2 positional isomer eluting before the sn-1 (3) isomer in each case. Separation of the peaks was almost baseline between petroselinic and oleic acids as well as between oleic and cis-vaccenic acids. To assess the accuracy of the method, mixtures of triolein, tripetroselinin, and tri-cis-vaccenin in various known proportions were partially deacylated with the use of ethyl magnesium bromide and derivatized and analyzed as above. The results showed that this method compares favorably to the existing methods for analysis of oleic, petroselinic, and cis-vaccenic fatty acids by GC with respect to peak separation and accuracy, and it also provides information on the regiospecific distribution of the fatty acids. The method was applied to basil (Ocimum basilicum) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum) seed oils. cis-Vaccenic, oleic, and linoleic acids were mainly distributed at the sn-2 position in basil seed oil, and higher proportions of linolenic, palmitic, and stearic acids were distributed at the sn-1(3) position than at the sn-2 position. In coriander seed oil, petroselinic acid was mainly distributed at the sn-1 (3) position, and both oleic and linoleic acids were mostly located at the sn-2 position, whereas palmitic, stearic, and cis-vaccenic acids were located only at the sn-1 (3) position.