Separation of reduced and oxidized glutathione in a pharmaceutical preparation by ion-interaction reversed-phase HPLC

A peroxidase mimetic protects skeletal muscle cells from peroxide challenge and stimulates insulin signaling

Reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide have been implicated in causing metabolic dysfunction such as insulin resistance. Heme groups, either by themselves or when incorporated into proteins, have been shown to scavenge peroxide and demonstrate protective effects in various cell types. Thus, we hypothesized that a metalloporphyrin similar in structure to heme, Fe(III)tetrakis(4-benzoic acid)porphyrin (FeTBAP), would be a peroxidase mimetic that could defend cells against oxidative stress. After demonstrating that FeTBAP has peroxidase activity with reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and NADH as reducing substrates, we determined that FeTBAP partially rescued C2C12 myotubes from peroxide-induced insulin resistance as measured by phosphorylation of AKT (S473) and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1, Y612). Furthermore, we found that FeTBAP stimulates insulin signaling in myotubes and mouse soleus skeletal muscle to about the same level as insulin for phosphorylation of AKT, IRS-1, and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (S9). We found that FeTBAP lowers intracellular peroxide levels and protects against carbonyl formation in myotubes exposed to peroxide. Additionally, we found that FeTBAP stimulates glucose transport in myotubes and skeletal muscle to about the same level as insulin. We conclude that a peroxidase mimetic can blunt peroxide-induced insulin resistance and also stimulate insulin signaling and glucose transport, suggesting a possible role of peroxidase activity in regulation of insulin signaling.

Characterization of bifunctional L-glutathione synthetases from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Actinobacillus succinogenes for efficient glutathione biosynthesis

Glutathione (GSH), an important bioactive substance, is widely applied in pharmaceutical and food industries. In this work, two bifunctional L-glutathione synthetases (GshF) from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (GshFAp) and Actinobacillus succinogenes (GshFAs) were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL-21(DE3). Similar to the GshF from Streptococcus thermophilus (GshFSt), GshFAp and GshFAs can be applied for high titer GSH production because they are less sensitive to end-product inhibition (Ki values 33 and 43 mM, respectively). The active catalytic forms of GshFAs and GshFAp are dimers, consistent with those of GshFPm (GshF from Pasteurella multocida) and GshFSa (GshF from Streptococcus agalactiae), but are different from GshFSt (GshF from S. thermophilus) which is an active monomer. The analysis of the protein sequences and three dimensional structures of GshFs suggested that the binding sites of GshFs for substrates, L-cysteine, L-glutamate, γ-glutamylcysteine, adenosine-triphosphate, and glycine are highly conserved with only very few differences. With sufficient supply of the precursors, the recombinant strains BL-21(DE3)/pET28a-gshFas and BL-21(DE3)/pET28a-gshFap were able to produce 36.6 and 34.1 mM GSH, with the molar yield of 0.92 and 0.85 mol/mol, respectively, based on the added L-cysteine. The results showed that GshFAp and GshFAs are potentially good candidates for industrial GSH production.

Simultaneous determination of the impurity and radial tensile strength of reduced glutathione tablets by a high selective NIR-PLS method

This paper establishes a high-throughput and high selective method to determine the impurity named oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and radial tensile strength (RTS) of reduced glutathione (GSH) tablets based on near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and partial least squares (PLS). In order to build and evaluate the calibration models, the NIR diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and transmittance spectra (TS) for 330 GSH tablets were accurately measured by using the optimized parameter values. For analyzing GSSG or RTS of GSH tablets, the NIR-DRS or NIR-TS were selected, subdivided reasonably into calibration and prediction sets, and processed appropriately with chemometric techniques. After selecting spectral sub-ranges and neglecting spectrum outliers, the PLS calibration models were built and the factor numbers were optimized. Then, the PLS models were evaluated by the root mean square errors of calibration (RMSEC), cross-validation (RMSECV) and prediction (RMSEP), and by the correlation coefficients of calibration (R(c)) and prediction (R(p)). The results indicate that the proposed models have good performances. It is thus clear that the NIR-PLS can simultaneously, selectively, nondestructively and rapidly analyze the GSSG and RTS of GSH tablets, although the contents of GSSG impurity were quite low while those of GSH active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) quite high. This strategy can be an important complement to the common NIR methods used in the on-line analysis of API in pharmaceutical preparations. And this work expands the NIR applications in the high-throughput and extraordinarily selective analysis.

Determination of glutathione and related aminothiols by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection

A selective and sensitive method for the determination of glutathione (GSH) and related aminothiols such as cysteine (Cys), cysteinylglycine (CysGly) and gamma-glutamylcysteine (gamma-GluCys) by gas chromatography (GC) has been developed. GSH and related aminothiols were converted into their N,S-isopropoxycarbonyl methyl ester derivatives and measured by GC with flame photometric detection using a short capillary column (5 m x 0.53 mm i.d.) of cross-linked DB-1. The calibration curves were linear in the range 1-25 nmol for GSH and in the range 0.2-5 nmol for other aminothiols, and the detection limits of GSH, Cys, CysGly and gamma-GluCys were approximately 5, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 pmol per injection respectively. This method was successfully applied to blood samples without prior clean-up, and GSH and related aminothiols in these samples could be analysed without any influence from coexisting substances. Overall recoveries of GSH and other aminothiols added to blood samples were 88-107%. The analytical results of free and total blood GSH and related aminothiols in normal subjects are presented.

Glutathione and cysteine measurement in biological samples by HPLC with a glassy carbon working detector

An HPLC method using a glassy carbon working detector for measuring cysteine and reduced glutathione (GSH) in biological samples was developed. Oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was also measured after reduction with glutathione reductase. This study was conducted in human plasma. Cysteine and GSH standard curves were linear in the physiological range, presenting detection limits of 22.0 pmol and 6.0 pmol respectively. Plasmatic results found were 43.92 +/- 4.15, 4.50 +/- 0.65, and 0.19 +/- 0.12 mM (means +/- SE), for cysteine, GSH and GSSG, respectively. Peak specificity for cysteine and reduced glutathione was certified by their disappearance after treatment with N-ethylmaleimide.

HPLC determination of glutathione and L-cysteine in pharmaceuticals after derivatization with ethacrynic acid

Ethacrynic acid and its methyl ester are proposed as useful pre-chromatographic derivatization reagents for the HPLC analysis (UV detection) of reduced glutathione (GSH) and L-cysteine. The optimum experimental conditions for the thiol derivatization, the removal of the excess reagent by liquid-liquid or solid-phase extraction and the reversed-phase chromatographic separations of the thiol adducts were investigated. The method was applied to the HPLC determination of GSH and L-cysteine in commercial formulations and proved to be suitable for the HPLC determination of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) after reduction to GSH using dithiothreitol (DTT).

Separation of reduced and oxidized glutathione by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

The separation of reduced and oxidized glutathione at an absolute sensitivity of about 100 pg by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography without derivatization is described. The time required for the separation is less than 10 min (the time between two following injections is about 15 min). The separation is characterized by high efficiency and good reliability. A partition mechanism is responsible for the high resolution observed. The method was utilized for the analysis of commercial preparations of glutathione and a good agreement with the expected results was obtained; the oxidation of the commercial glutathione in solution was easily analysed.