Preparation and quantification of methylglyoxal in human plasma using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Photo-Enhanced Chemo-Transistor Platform for Ultrasensitive Assay of Small Molecules

Compared with traditional assay techniques, field-effect transistors (FETs) have advantages such as fast response, high sensitivity, being label-free, and point-of-care detection, while lacking generality to detect a wide range of small molecules since most of them are electrically neutral with a weak doping effect. Here, we demonstrate a photo-enhanced chemo-transistor platform based on a synergistic photo-chemical gating effect in order to overcome the aforementioned limitation. Under light irradiation, accumulated photoelectrons generated from covalent organic frameworks offer a photo-gating modulation, amplifying the response to small molecule adsorption including methylglyoxal, p-nitroaniline, nitrobenzene, aniline, and glyoxal when measuring the photocurrent. We perform testing in buffer, artificial urine, sweat, saliva, and diabetic mouse serum. The limit of detection is down to 10^-19 M methylglyoxal, about 5 orders of magnitude lower than existing assay technologies. This work develops a photo-enhanced FET platform to detect small molecules or other neutral species with enhanced sensitivity for applications in fields such as biochemical research, health monitoring, and disease diagnosis.

Ammonium quantification in human plasma by proton nuclear magnetic resonance for staging of liver fibrosis in alcohol-related liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Liver fibrosis staging is a key element driving the prognosis of patients with chronic liver disease. Currently, biopsy is the only technique capable of diagnosing liver fibrosis in patients with alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) unequivocally. Noninvasive (e.g. plasma-based) biomarker assays are attractive tools to diagnose and stage disease, yet must prove that they are reliable and sensitive to be used clinically. Here, we demonstrate proton nuclear magnetic resonance as a method to rapidly quantify the endogenous concentration of ammonium ions from human plasma extracts and show their ability to report upon early and advanced stages of ArLD and NAFLD. We show that, irrespective of the disease etiology, ammonium concentration is a more robust and informative marker of fibrosis stage than current clinically assessed blood hepatic biomarkers. Subject to validation in larger cohorts, the study indicates that the method can provide accurate and rapid staging of ArLD and NAFLD without the need for an invasive biopsy.

Rapid sensing and imaging of methylglyoxal in living cells enabled by a near-infrared fluorescent probe

A novel near-infrared fluorescent probe (SWJT-2) has been designed and synthesized for the detection of methylglyoxal (MGO). It showed a low detection limit (0.32 μM), high selectivity and the fastest detection (15 min) over various reactive carbonyl compounds in aqueous solution. SWJT-2 had been successfully applied to bioimaging in HeLa cells to detect exogenous and endogenous MGO.

A Ratiometric Fluorescence Probe for Selective Detection of ex vivo Methylglyoxal in Diabetic Mice

Accurate monitoring of methylglyoxal (MGO) at cell and living level was crucial to reveal its role in the pathogenesis of diabetes since MGO was closely related to diabetes. Herein, a ratiometric fluorescence strategy was constructed based on the capture probe 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) for the specific detection of MGO. Compared to the fluorescent probes with a single emission wavelength, the ratiometric mode by monitoring two emissions can effectively avoid the interference from the biological background, and provided additional self-calibration ability, which can realize accurate detection of MGO. The proposed method showed a good linear relationship in the range of 0-75 μm for MGO detection, and the limit of detection was 0.33 μm. DAN responded to MGO with good specificity and was successfully applied for detecting the ex vivo MGO level in plasma of KK-Ay mice as a type II diabetes model. Besides, the prepared DAN test strip can be visualized for rapid semi-quantitative analysis of MGO using the naked eye. Furthermore, human skin fibroblasts and HeLa cells were utilized for exogenous MGO imaging, and ex vivo MGO imaging was performed on tissues of KK-Ay mice. All results indicated that the DAN-based ratiometric fluorescence probe can be used as a potential method to detect the level of MGO, thus enabling indications for the occurrence of diabetes and its complications.

Association of Plasma Methylglyoxal Increase after Myocardial Infarction and the Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Background: Preclinical studies suggest that methylglyoxal (MG) increases within the myocardium upon acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and thereafter contributes to adverse postinfarct remodeling. The aims of this study were to test whether MG increases in plasma of humans after AMI and whether this increase is related to the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: The plasma samples of 37 patients with ST elevation AMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) acquired in a previously conducted randomized controlled trial testing remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) were analyzed by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. Time courses of the variables were analyzed by means of mixed linear models. Multiple regression analyses served to explore the relationship between MG levels and the LVEF. Results: Compared to the MG levels upon admission due to AMI, the levels were increased 2.4-fold (95% CI, 1.6−3.6) 0.5 h after reperfusion facilitated by pPCI, 2.6-fold (1.7−4.0) after 24 h and largely returned to the baseline after 30 d (1.1-fold, 0.8−1.5). The magnitude of the MG increase was largely independent of that of cardiac necrosis markers. Overall, the highest MG values within 24 h after AMI were associated with the lowest LVEF after 4 d. While markers of myocardial necrosis and stretch quantified within the first 24 h explained 52% of the variance of the LVEF, MG explained additional 23% of the variance (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Considering these observational data, it is plausible that the preclinical finding of MG generation after AMI negatively affecting the LVEF also applies to humans. Inhibition of MG generation or MG scavenging might provide a novel therapeutic strategy to target post-AMI myocardial remodeling and dysfunction.

Potential of Vasoprotectives to Inhibit Non-Enzymatic Protein Glycation, and Reactive Carbonyl and Oxygen Species Uptake

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS) such as methylglyoxal (MGO) or glyoxal (GO) are the main precursors of the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are a major factor in the development of vascular complications in diabetes. Vasoprotectives (VPs) exhibit a wide range of activities beneficial to cardiovascular health. The present study aimed to investigate selected VPs and their structural analogs for their ability to trap MGO/GO, inhibit AGE formation, and evaluate their antioxidant potential. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (UHPLC-ESI-MS) and diode-array detector (UHPLC-DAD) was used to investigate direct trapping capacity and kinetics of quenching MGO/GO, respectively. Fluorimetric and colorimetric measurements were used to evaluate antiglycation and antioxidant action. All tested substances showed antiglycative effects, but hesperetin was the most effective in RCS scavenging. We demonstrated that rutin, diosmetin, hesperidin, and hesperetin could trap both MGO and GO by forming adducts, whose structures we proposed. MGO-derived AGE formation was inhibited the most by hesperetin, and GO-derived AGEs by diosmetin. High reducing and antiradical activity was confirmed for quercetin, rutin, hesperetin, and calcium dobesilate. Therefore, in addition to other therapeutic applications, some VPs could be potential candidates as antiglycative agents to prevent AGE-related complications of diabetes.

Conversion of cannabidiol (CBD) to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) during protein precipitations prior to plasma samples analysis by chromatography - Troubles with reliable CBD quantitation when acidic precipitation agents are applied

The growing popularity of supplements containing cannabidiol (CBD), mainly CBD oils, in self-medication of humans and the increased interest in this compound in different preclinical and clinical trials stimulates the development of procedures of CBD analysis in plasma for the study of CBD pharmacology in people and animals or in establishing dose-therapeutic effect relationships of this compound. Preliminary removal of protein by its precipitation from plasma is still one of the willingly applied plasma sample preparation methods in many analytical procedures estimating plasma drug concentration, including CBD. The present paper shows that a significant amount of CBD transforms to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) in a hot GC injection system when acidic precipitation agents, such as TFA, TCA, HClO₄, H₂SO₄, ZnSO₄ or CHCl₃, are used for plasma protein precipitation. The transformation degree depends on the temperature of the GC injector, the concentration of the precipitation agent and the incubation time of plasma with the precipitating agent. At the CBD plasma concentration equal to 50 ng/ml, which is approximately the mean level for patients treated for epileptic syndromes, the CBD transformation degree can exceed 20%. For a reliable estimate of CBD in blood plasma, neutral precipitation agents (e.g. ACN, MeOH, acetone) should be used when plasma deproteinization precedes GC analysis. The presented results are important not only for analysts cooperating with pharmacologists and for medicine doctors examining the activity of CBD-containing drugs in the therapeutic process, but also for forensic scientists who may erroneously find innocent people guilty of using marijuana or its preparations.

Adeno-Associated Viral Transfer of Glyoxalase-1 Blunts Carbonyl and Oxidative Stresses in Hearts of Type 1 Diabetic Rats

Accumulation of methylglyoxal (MG) arising from downregulation of its primary degrading enzyme glyoxalase-1 (Glo1) is an underlying cause of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC). This study investigated if expressing Glo1 in rat hearts shortly after the onset of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) would blunt the development of DC employing the streptozotocin-induced T1DM rat model, an adeno-associated virus containing Glo1 driven by the endothelin-1 promoter (AAV2/9-Endo-Glo1), echocardiography, video edge, confocal imaging, and biochemical/histopathological assays. After eight weeks of T1DM, rats developed DC characterized by a decreased E:A ratio, fractional shortening, and ejection fraction, and increased isovolumetric relaxation time, E: e’ ratio, and circumferential and longitudinal strains. Evoked Ca²⁺ transients and contractile kinetics were also impaired in ventricular myocytes. Hearts from eight weeks T1DM rats had lower Glo1 and GSH levels, elevated carbonyl/oxidative stress, microvascular leakage, inflammation, and fibrosis. A single injection of AAV2/9 Endo-Glo1 (1.7 × 10¹² viron particles/kg) one week after onset of T1DM, potentiated GSH, and blunted MG accumulation, carbonyl/oxidative stress, microvascular leakage, inflammation, fibrosis, and impairments in cardiac and myocyte functions that develop after eight weeks of T1DM. These new data indicate that preventing Glo1 downregulation by administering AAV2/9-Endo-Glo1 to rats one week after the onset of T1DM, blunted the DC that develops after eight weeks of diabetes by attenuating carbonyl/oxidative stresses, microvascular leakage, inflammation, and fibrosis.

An activatable near-infrared fluorescent probe for methylglyoxal imaging in Alzheimer's disease mice

Visual detection of the methylglyoxal (MGO) level in the brain is critical for understanding its role in the onset and progression of AD. Herein, we disclosed a NIR fluorescent probe, DBTPP, for detecting MGO by utilizing a thiadiazole-fused o-phenylenediamine moiety as a MGO-specific sensing unit. DBTPP exhibits a series of distinct advantages, such as NIR emission, high selectivity and sensitivity, excellent acid-stability, and a huge off-on ratio. The probe could accurately monitor both exogenous and endogenous MGO variations in SH-SY5Y cells. Besides, it was able to image the endogenous MGO in a transgenic AD mouse model successfully, suggesting the great potential of MGO as a biomarker for early AD diagnosis.

Diagnosis of methylglyoxal in blood by using far-infrared spectroscopy and o-phenylenediamine derivation

Methyglyoxal (MGO) is an important pathological factor for diabetic cardiovascular complications. Conventional methods for MGO detection in biological samples, such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV spectrometry, LC-fluorescence spectrometry, and HPLC-mass spectrometry, are time-consuming, high-cost, and complicated. Here, we present a method for MGO quantitative detection based on far-IR spectral analyses. Our method uses o-phenylenediamine (OPD) to produce a chemical reaction with MGO, which results in multiple fingerprint feature changes associated with the molar ratio of MGO and OPD. We use the linear relationship between MGO concentration and peak intensity of the reaction product to quantitatively determine MGO concentration. The corresponding linear detectable range is 5∼2500 nmol/mL nmol per mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. This quantitative method is also tested by blood samples with adjusted MGO concentrations, and shows 95% accuracy with only 30s testing time. Our method provides a fast, simple and economical approach to determining MGO concentration in blood.

A new millifluidic-based gastrointestinal platform to evaluate the effect of simulated dietary methylglyoxal intakes

The search for new in vitro modular bioreactors to simulate flow-mediated transport and absorption of chemical substances is a very important issue in toxicology and in drug and bioactive delivery research. The possibility of setting up a dynamic microenvironment leads to experimental conditions that may more closely resemble the in vivo model, especially to measure acute or chronic intake of compounds. We propose a novel millifluidic-based gastrointestinal model as an evolution of the common in vitro methods, to evaluate the exposure to exogenous methylglyoxal (MGO), a highly reactive α-oxoaldehyde responsible for the formation of advanced glycation end products involved in a number of chronic diseases. Gastric and intestinal cells were seeded into two different chambers, creating a multi-compartmental system where fluids dynamically interact with human gastric stromal and intestinal cells. MGO was tested at concentrations simulating different MGO food intakes (meal, daily, and hypothetically weekly). Cell viability was measured over time, and simultaneously, extracellular MGO was quantified by a validated RP-HPLC-DAD method to evaluate its absorption/metabolization. This new platform gives the opportunity to connect different compartments, allowing studying kinetic and metabolic profiles of different substances and representing a very promising alternative to animal models, at least in preliminary investigations.

Methylglyoxal modification reduces the sensitivity of hen egg white lysozyme to stress-induced aggregation: Insight into the anti-amyloidogenic property of α-dicarbonyl compound

The reactive α-oxoaldehyde, methylglyoxal reacts with different proteins to form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) through Maillard reaction. Its level increases significantly in diabetic condition. Here, we have investigated the effect of different concentrations of methylglyoxal (200-400 µM) on the monomeric protein, hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) following incubation for 3 weeks. Reaction of methylglyoxal with HEWL induced considerable changes in tertiary structure of the protein, but no significant alteration in secondary structure, as evident from different spectroscopic and biophysical studies. Interestingly, methylglyoxal modification was found to enhance the thermal stability of the protein and reduce its sensitivity to stress-induced aggregation. Finally, peptide mass fingerprinting revealed modification of arginine (Arg-45, Arg-14, Arg-68 or Arg-72) and lysine (Lys-116) residues of the protein to AGE adducts, namely, hydroimidazolone, tetrahydropyrimidine, and carboxyethyllysine. Methylglyoxal-derived AGE adducts (MAGE) appear to be responsible for the observed changes in protein. As demonstrated in the present study, the findings may highlight a possible therapeutic potential of the α-oxoaldehyde against protein misfolding and conformational disorder.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Elevated levels of α-dicarbonyl compounds in the plasma of type II diabetics and their relevance with diabetic nephropathy

The presence of α‑dicarbonyl compounds (α-DCs) in vivo has been associated with the development of complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) and also with other chronic diseases. Therefore, quantitative analysis of α-DCs in body fluids is crucial to understand their roles in the formation of these chronic diseases. We established in this study a practical HPLC-UV method to measure 3‑deoxyglucosone (3-DG), glyoxal (GO), methylglyoxal (MGO), diacetyl (DA), and pentane‑2,3‑dione (PD) in blood plasma using 4‑(2,3‑dimethyl‑6‑quinoxalinyl)‑1,2‑benzenediamine (DQB) as a derivatizing reagent. The derivatizing reaction could be carried out quickly under mild conditions and the HPLC determination is simple, sensitive, and easy to operate. The recoveries of the α-DCs are between 85.26% and 110.20% (intra-day) and 87.25% and 103.18% (inter-day); the RSDs are between 1.28% and 5.69% (intra-day) and 2.26% and 6.34% (inter-day). We found the plasma levels of 3-DG, GO, and MGO in the diabetic patients are all significantly higher than those in healthy subjects. The results also show that the contents of GO and MGO in diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients are both significantly higher than those in simple T2DM patients. Moreover, it is found for the first time that the plasma level of GO might be a potential predictor of DN. The developed method would be useful for the measurements of the plasma α-DCs and the data acquired could be informative in the diagnosis of DM complications.

Derivatization of Methylglyoxal for LC-ESI-MS Analysis-Stability and Relative Sensitivity of Different Derivatives

The great research interest in the quantification of reactive carbonyl compounds (RCCs), such as methylglyoxal (MGO) in biological and environmental samples, is reflected by the fact that several publications have described specific strategies to perform this task. Thus, many reagents have also been reported for the derivatization of RCCs to effectively detect and quantify the resulting compounds using sensitive techniques such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). However, the choice of the derivatization protocol is not always clear, and a comparative evaluation is not feasible because detection limits from separate reports and determined with different instruments are hardly comparable. Consequently, for a systematic comparison, we tested 21 agents in one experimental setup for derivatization of RCCs prior to LC-MS analysis. This consisted of seven commonly employed reagents and 14 similar reagents, three of which were designed and synthesized by us. All reagents were probed for analytical responsiveness of the derivatives and stability of the reaction mixtures. The results showed that derivatives of 4-methoxyphenylenediamine and 3-methoxyphenylhydrazine—reported here for the first time for derivatization of RCCs—provided a particularly high responsiveness with ESI-MS detection. We applied the protocol to investigate MGO contamination of laboratory water and show successful quantification in a lipoxidation experiment. In summary, our results provide valuable information for scientists in establishing accurate analysis of RCCs.

Visualization of methylglyoxal in living cells and diabetic mice model with a 1,8-naphthalimide-based two-photon fluorescent probe

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a dicarbonyl metabolite, is the most studied precursor of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and its elevated levels have also been associated with various pathologies. Hence, the development of effective methods for monitoring MGO in live cells and in vivo is of great importance for ascertaining the onset and progress of related diseases. Herein, we designed and synthesized an endoplasmic reticulum-targeting two-photon fluorescent probe called NI-OPD for the detection of MGO with high selectivity, sensitivity, and hypotoxicity. The probe was successfully applied for monitoring MGO in living cells and a diabetic mice model. The two-photon fluorescence images confirmed that the endogenous MGO in the liver and kidney tissues of diabetic mice is higher than that of normal mice. Furthermore, it revealed that after treatment with metformin, a widely used hypoglycemia drug, the diabetic mice showed a decreased concentration of MGO in liver and kidney tissues. Thus, NI-OPD may serve as a useful tool for the detection of MGO and for studying the relationships between MGO and pathological and biological processes in biosystems.

Pyruvate kinase M2 activation may protect against the progression of diabetic glomerular pathology and mitochondrial dysfunction

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of end-stage renal disease, and therapeutic options for preventing its progression are limited. To identify novel therapeutic strategies, we studied protective factors for DN using proteomics on glomeruli from individuals with extreme duration of diabetes (ł50 years) without DN and those with histologic signs of DN. Enzymes in the glycolytic, sorbitol, methylglyoxal and mitochondrial pathways were elevated in individuals without DN. In particular, pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) expression and activity were upregulated. Mechanistically, we showed that hyperglycemia and diabetes decreased PKM2 tetramer formation and activity by sulfenylation in mouse glomeruli and cultured podocytes. Pkm-knockdown immortalized mouse podocytes had higher levels of toxic glucose metabolites, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Podocyte-specific Pkm2-knockout (KO) mice with diabetes developed worse albuminuria and glomerular pathology. Conversely, we found that pharmacological activation of PKM2 by a small-molecule PKM2 activator, TEPP-46, reversed hyperglycemia-induced elevation in toxic glucose metabolites and mitochondrial dysfunction, partially by increasing glycolytic flux and PGC-1α mRNA in cultured podocytes. In intervention studies using DBA2/J and Nos3 (eNos) KO mouse models of diabetes, TEPP-46 treatment reversed metabolic abnormalities, mitochondrial dysfunction and kidney pathology. Thus, PKM2 activation may protect against DN by increasing glucose metabolic flux, inhibiting the production of toxic glucose metabolites and inducing mitochondrial biogenesis to restore mitochondrial function.

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal determination in urine by surfactant-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and LC

Aim: Two important markers of oxidative stress, glyoxal and methylglyoxal, are preconcentrated from human urine by surfactant-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction and separated by LC-fluorescence. Methods/results: Derivatization was carried out overnight with 0.8 mM 2,3-diaminonaphthalene at 4°C. For surfactant-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction, 500 µl buffer solution (pH 10.5) and 25 µl 0.03 M Triton X-114 were added to 2.5 ml of the sample and the mixture was made up to 10 ml before the rapid injection of 75 µl 1-undecanol (extractant solvent) and 0.5 ml ethanol (dispersant solvent). Conclusion: The method can be applied to analyze glyoxal and methylglyoxal in urine with LOD of 13 and 16 ng/l, respectively, and recoveries in the 88–103% range.

Smooth muscle-generated methylglyoxal impairs endothelial cell-mediated vasodilatation of cerebral microvessels in type 1 diabetic rats

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Endothelial cell-mediated vasodilatation of cerebral arterioles is impaired in individuals with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). This defect compromises haemodynamics and can lead to hypoxia, microbleeds, inflammation and exaggerated ischaemia-reperfusion injuries. The molecular causes for dysregulation of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (cECs) in T1D remains poorly defined. This study tests the hypothesis that cECs dysregulation in T1D is triggered by increased generation of the mitochondrial toxin, methylglyoxal, by smooth muscle cells in cerebral arterioles (cSMCs).

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Endothelial cell-mediated vasodilatation, vascular transcytosis inflammation, hypoxia and ischaemia-reperfusion injury were assessed in brains of male Sprague-Dawley rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and compared with those in diabetic rats with increased expression of methylglyoxal-degrading enzyme glyoxalase-I (Glo-I) in cSMCs.

KEY RESULTS

After 7-8 weeks of T1D, endothelial cell-mediated vasodilatation of cerebral arterioles was impaired. Microvascular leakage, gliosis, macrophage/neutrophil infiltration, NF-κB activity and TNF-α levels were increased, and density of perfused microvessels was reduced. Transient occlusion of a mid-cerebral artery exacerbated ischaemia-reperfusion injury. In cSMCs, Glo-I protein was decreased, and the methylglyoxal-synthesizing enzyme, vascular adhesion protein 1 (VAP-1) and methylglyoxal were increased. Restoring Glo-I protein in cSMCs of diabetic rats to control levels via gene transfer, blunted VAP-1 and methylglyoxal increases, cECs dysfunction, microvascular leakage, inflammation, ischaemia-reperfusion injury and increased microvessel perfusion.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Methylglyoxal generated by cSMCs induced cECs dysfunction, inflammation, hypoxia and exaggerated ischaemia-reperfusion injury in diabetic rats. Lowering methylglyoxal produced by cSMCs may be a viable therapeutic strategy to preserve cECs function and blunt deleterious downstream consequences in T1D.

Increased plasma levels of the methylglyoxal in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes 2

BACKGROUND

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a reactive-dicarbonyl that is thought to contribute to the development of diabetes either as a precursor for advanced glycation end products or as a direct toxin. The present study was designed to determine plasma MG level in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to evaluate the relationship between MG and other parameters, such as oxidative stress and metabolic indices.

METHODS

Methylglyoxal was measured by high-performance liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometry in plasma from 48 subjects with newly diagnosed T2DM. The relationship between two variables was analyzed using Spearman's correlation analysis. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was used to assess the association of plasma MG and other parameters.

RESULTS

Plasma MG level in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM (65.2 ± 19.2 ng/mL) were significantly higher than that in control individuals (40.1 ± 11.1 ng/mL, P < 0.05). The plasma level of MG was positively correlated with the glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c, r = 0.670, P < 0.01) and malondialdehyde (MDA, r = 0.694, P < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that both HbA1c and MDA are significant independent determinants of plasma MG level.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that increased plasma MG level is associated with the elevation of HbA1c and MDA in newly diagnosed T2DM patients.

Chromatographic determination of low-molecular mass unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes with peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence detection after fluorescence labeling with 4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-hydrazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole

A highly sensitive, selective and reproducible chromatographic method is described for determination of low-molecular mass unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes in human serum. The method combines fluorescent labeling using 4-(N,N-Dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-hydrazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole with peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence. The derivatives were separated on a reversed-phase column C8 isocratically using a mixture of acetonitrile and 90mM imidazole-HNO3 buffer (pH 6.4, 1:1, % v/v). The calibration ranges were: 20-420nM for methylglyoxal, 16-320nM for acrolein, 15-360nM for crotonaldehyde and 20-320nM for trans-2-hexenal. The detection limits were ranged from 4.4 to 6.5nM (88-130fmol/injection), the recovery results were within the range of 87.4-103.8% and the intra and inter-day precision results were lower than 5.5%. The proposed validated method has been successfully applied to healthy, diabetic and rheumatic arthritis patients' sera with simple pretreatment method. In conclusion, this new method is suitable for routine analysis of large numbers of clinical samples for assessment of the oxidative stress state in patients.

High-performance liquid chromatography determination of glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and diacetyl in urine using 4-methoxy-o-phenylenediamine as derivatizing reagent

Bioanalytical relevance of glyoxal (Go) and methylglyoxal (MGo) arises from their role as biomarkers of glycation processes and oxidative stress. The third compound of interest in this work is diacetyl (DMGo), a component of different food products and alcoholic beverages and one of the small α-ketoaldehydes previously reported in urine. The original idea for the determination of the above compounds by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorimetric detection was to use 4-methoxy-o-phenylenediamine (4MPD) as a derivatizing reagent and diethylglyoxal (DEGo) as internal standard. Acetonitrile was added to urine for matrix precipitation, and derivatization reaction was carried out in the diluted supernatant at neutral pH (40 °C, 4 h); after acidification, salt-induced phase separation enabled recovery of the obtained quinoxalines in the acetonitrile layer. The separation was achieved within 12 min using a C18 Kinetex column and gradient elution. The calibration detection limits for Go, MGo, and DMGo were 0.46, 0.39, and 0.28 μg/L, respectively. Within-day precision for real-world samples did not exceed 6%. Several urine samples from healthy volunteers, diabetic subjects, and juvenile swimmers were analyzed. The sensitivity of the procedure proposed here enabled detection of differences between analyte concentrations in urine from patients at different clinical or exposure-related conditions.

Glyoxalase 1 is up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and is essential for HCC cell proliferation

Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1), belonging to the glyoxalase system, participates in the detoxification of methylglyoxal (MG), a byproduct of glycolysis. Glo1 is associated with the progression of many human malignancies. However, the role of Glo1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. We have discovered that the expression of Glo1 is up-regulated in HCC tissues compared with adjacent non-tumorous tissues, and knockdown of Glo1 expression by RNA interference significantly inhibited the proliferation of human HCC cell lines. Glo1 knockdown resulted in the accumulation of its cytotoxic substrate, MG. Overall, thus Glo1 might be essential for HCC progression and can be designated as a potential therapeutic target for HCC in the future.

A "turn-on" fluorescent sensor for methylglyoxal

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a dicarbonyl metabolite produced by all living cells, has been associated with a number of human diseases. However, studies of the role(s) MGO plays biologically have been handicapped by a lack of direct methods for its monitoring and detection. To address this limitation, we have developed a fluorescent sensor (methyl diaminobenzene-BODIPY, or "MBo") that can detect MGO under physiological conditions. We show that MBo is selective for MGO over other biologically relevant dicarbonyls and is suitable for detecting MGO in complex environments, including that of living cells. In addition, we demonstrate MBo's utility in estimating plasma concentrations of MGO. The results reported herein have the potential to advance both clinical and basic science research and practice.

Carbonylation induces heterogeneity in cardiac ryanodine receptor function in diabetes mellitus

Heart failure and arrhythmias occur at 3 to 5 times higher rates among individuals with diabetes mellitus, compared with age-matched, healthy individuals. Studies attribute these defects in part to alterations in the function of cardiac type 2 ryanodine receptors (RyR2s), the principal Ca(2+)-release channels on the internal sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). To date, mechanisms underlying RyR2 dysregulation in diabetes remain poorly defined. A rat model of type 1 diabetes, in combination with echocardiography, in vivo and ex vivo hemodynamic studies, confocal microscopy, Western blotting, mass spectrometry, site-directed mutagenesis, and [(3)H]ryanodine binding, lipid bilayer, and transfection assays, was used to determine whether post-translational modification by reactive carbonyl species (RCS) represented a contributing cause. After 8 weeks of diabetes, spontaneous Ca(2+) release in ventricular myocytes increased ~5-fold. Evoked Ca(2+) release from the SR was nonuniform (dyssynchronous). Total RyR2 protein levels remained unchanged, but the ability to bind the Ca(2+)-dependent ligand [(3)H]ryanodine was significantly reduced. Western blotting and mass spectrometry revealed RCS adducts on select basic residues. Mutation of residues to delineate the physiochemical impact of carbonylation yielded channels with enhanced or reduced cytoplasmic Ca(2+) responsiveness. The prototype RCS methylglyoxal increased and then decreased the RyR2 open probability. Methylglyoxal also increased spontaneous Ca(2+) release and induced Ca(2+) waves in healthy myocytes. Treatment of diabetic rats with RCS scavengers normalized spontaneous and evoked Ca(2+) release from the SR, reduced carbonylation of RyR2s, and increased binding of [(3)H]ryanodine to RyR2s. From these data, we conclude that post-translational modification by RCS contributes to the heterogeneity in RyR2 activity that is seen in experimental diabetes.

A quick, convenient and economical method for the reliable determination of methylglyoxal in millimolar concentrations: the N-acetyl-L-cysteine assay

The determination of methylglyoxal (MG) concentrations in vivo is gaining increasing importance as high levels of MG are linked to various health impairments including complications of diabetes. In order to standardize the measurements of MG in body fluids, it is necessary to precisely determine the concentration of MG stock solutions used as analytical standards. The "gold standard" method for the determination of MG concentration in the millimolar range is an enzyme-catalyzed endpoint assay based on the glyoxalase I catalyzed formation of S-lactoylglutathione. However, as this assay used purified glyoxalase I enzyme, it is quite expensive. Another method uses a derivation reaction with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, but this substance is explosive and needs special handling and storage. In addition, precipitation of the product methylglyoxal-bis-2,4-dinitrophenylhydrozone during the reaction limits the reliability of this method. In this study, we have evaluated a new method of MG determination based on the previously published fast reaction between MG and N-acetyl-L-cysteine at room temperature which yields an easily detectable condensation product, N-α-acetyl-S-(1-hydroxy-2-oxo-prop-1-yl)cysteine. When comparing these three different assays for the measurement of MG concentrations, we find that the N-acetyl-L-cysteine assay is the most favorable, providing an economical and robust assay without the need for the use of hazardous or expensive reagents.

Bacterial metabolic 'toxins': a new mechanism for lactose and food intolerance, and irritable bowel syndrome

Lactose and food intolerance cause a wide range of gut and systemic symptoms, including gas, gut pain, diarrhoea or constipation, severe headaches, severe fatigue, loss of cognitive functions such as concentration, memory and reasoning, muscle and joint pain, heart palpitations, and a variety of allergies (Matthews and Campbell, 2000; Matthews et al., 2005; Waud et al., 2008). These can be explained by the production of toxic metabolites from gut bacteria, as a result of anaerobic digestion of carbohydrates and other foods, not absorbed in the small intestine. These metabolites include alcohols, diols such as butan 2,3 diol, ketones, acids, and aldehydes such as methylglyoxal (Campbell et al., 2005, 2009). These 'toxins' induce calcium signals in bacteria and affect their growth, thereby acting to modify the balance of microflora in the gut (Campbell et al., 2004, 2007a,b). These bacterial 'toxins' also affect signalling mechanisms in cells around the body, thereby explaining the wide range of symptoms in people with food intolerance. This new mechanism also explains the most common referral to gastroenterologists, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and the illness that afflicted Charles Darwin for 50 years (Campbell and Matthews, 2005a,b). We propose it will lead to a new understanding of the molecular mechanism of type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Capillary gas chromatographic determination of methylglyoxal from serum of diabetic patients by precolumn derivatization with 1,2-diamonopropane

Capillary gas chromatographic (GC) determination of methylglyoxal (MGo) was developed on the basis of precolumn derivatization with 1,2-diaminopropane (DAP) at pH 3. The elution was carried out on an HP-5 (30 m x 0.32 mm i.d.) connected with FID. The linear calibration curve was obtained for MGo within 0.09-1.04 microg/ml with detection limit of 40 ng/ml. Dimethylglyoxal (DMGo) also formed derivative with DAP and eluted and separated from MGo at column temperature 100 degrees C for 1 min with heating rate 30 degrees C/min up to 200 degrees C with run time 4.6 min. The nitrogen flow rate was 1.5 ml/min with split ratio of 10:1, v/v. MGo was determined from serum and urine of diabetics and healthy volunteers. The amounts of MGo from serum and urine of diabetic patients were 0.180-0.260 microg/ml and 0.170-0.250 microg/ml with relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) within 1-4% and 1-3%, respectively. The amounts of MGo from serum of healthy volunteers were 0.032-0.054 microg/ml with an R.S.D. of 1.5-3%. DMGo was not detected from the biological fluids and was used as an internal standard.

Determination of glyoxal and methylglyoxal in the serum of diabetic patients by MEKC using stilbenediamine as derivatizing reagent

An analytical method has been developed for the separation of glyoxal (Go), methylglyoxal (MGo), and dimethylglyoxal (DMGo) by MEKC using stilbenediamine (SD) as derivatizing reagent, separation time 6.5 min, SDS as micellar medium at pH 8, and sodium tetraborate (0.1 M) as buffer. Uncoated fused-silica capillary, effective length 50 cm x 75 microm id; applied voltage 20 kV and photodiode array detection, were used. Calibration was linear within 0.02-150 microg/mL with detection limits 3.5-5.8 ng/mL. Go and MGo, observed for diabetic and healthy volunteers, were within 0.098-0.193 microg/mL Go and 0.106-0.245 microg/mL MGo with RSD 1.6-3.5 and 1.7-3.4%, respectively, in diabetics against 0.016-0.046 microg/mL Go and 0.021-0.066 microg/mL MGo with RSDs 1.5-3.5 and 1.4-3.6%, respectively, in healthy volunteers. Go and MGo in diabetics were also measured by standard addition and DMGo as an internal standard. Additives do not contribute significantly to Go and MGo matrix.

Determination of glyoxal and methylglyoxal in environmental and biological matrices by stir bar sorptive extraction with in-situ derivatization

Stir bar sorptive extraction with in-situ derivatization using 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) followed by liquid desorption and high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (SBSE(DAN)in-situ-LD-HPLC-DAD) was developed for the determination of glyoxal (Gly) and methylglyoxal (MGly) in environmental and biological matrices. DAN proved very good specificity as in-situ derivatising agent for Gly and MGly in aqueous media, allowing the formation of adducts with remarkable sensitivity, selectivity and the absence of photodegradation. Assays performed on spiked (1.0 microg L(-1)) water samples, under convenient experimental conditions, yielded recoveries of 96.2+/-7.9% for Gly and 96.1+/-6.4% for MGly. The analytical performance showed good accuracy, suitable precision (<12.0%), low detection limits (15 ng L(-1) for Gly and 25 ng L(-1) for MGly adducts) and excellent linear dynamic ranges (r2>0.99) from 0.1 to 120.0 microg L(-1). By using the standard addition method, the application of the present method to tap and swimming-pool water, beer, yeast cells suspension and urine samples allowed very good performance at the trace level. The proposed methodology proved to be a feasible alternative for routine quality control analysis, showing to be easy to implement, reliable, sensitive and with a low sample volume requirement to monitor Gly and MGly in environmental and biological matrices.

The dual face of endogenous alpha-aminoketones: pro-oxidizing metabolic weapons

Amino metabolites with potential prooxidant properties, particularly alpha-aminocarbonyls, are the focus of this review. Among them we emphasize 5-aminolevulinic acid (a heme precursor formed from succinyl-CoA and glycine), aminoacetone (a threonine and glycine metabolite), and hexosamines and hexosimines, formed by Schiff condensation of hexoses with basic amino acid residues of proteins. All these metabolites were shown, in vitro, to undergo enolization and subsequent aerobic oxidation, yielding oxyradicals and highly cyto- and genotoxic alpha-oxoaldehydes. Their metabolic roles in health and disease are examined here and compared in humans and experimental animals, including rats, quail, and octopus. In the past two decades, we have concentrated on two endogenous alpha-aminoketones: (i) 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), accumulated in acquired (e.g., lead poisoning) and inborn (e.g., intermittent acute porphyria) porphyric disorders, and (ii) aminoacetone (AA), putatively overproduced in diabetes mellitus and cri-du-chat syndrome. ALA and AA have been implicated as contributing sources of oxyradicals and oxidative stress in these diseases. The end product of ALA oxidation, 4,5-dioxovaleric acid (DOVA), is able to alkylate DNA guanine moieties, promote protein cross-linking, and damage GABAergic receptors of rat brain synaptosome preparations. In turn, methylglyoxal (MG), the end product of AA oxidation, is also highly cytotoxic and able to release iron from ferritin and copper from ceruloplasmin, and to aggregate proteins. This review covers chemical and biochemical aspects of these alpha-aminoketones and their putative roles in the oxidative stress associated with porphyrias, tyrosinosis, diabetes, and cri-du-chat. In addition, we comment briefly on a side prooxidant behaviour of hexosamines, that are known to constitute building blocks of several glycoproteins and to be involved in Schiff base-mediated enzymatic reactions.

Methylglyoxal in food and living organisms

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive alpha-oxoaldehyde formed endogenously in numerous enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions. It modifies arginine and lysine residues in proteins forming advanced glycation end-products such as N(delta)-(5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl)-L-ornithine (MG-H1), 2-amino-5-(2-amino-5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-1-yl)pentanoic acid (MG-H2), 2-amino-5-(2-amino-4-hydro-4-methyl-5-imidazolon-1-yl)pentanoic acid (MG-H3), argpyrimidine, N(delta)-(4-carboxy-4,6-dimethyl-5,6-dihydroxy-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-2-yl)-L-ornithine (THP), N(epsilon)-(1-carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), MG-derived lysine dimer (MOLD), and 2-ammonio-6-({2-[4-ammonio-5-oxido-5-oxopently)amino]-4-methyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-5-ylidene}amino)hexanoate (MODIC), which have been identified in vivo and are associated with complications of diabetes and some neurodegenerative diseases. In foodstuffs and beverages, MG is formed during processing, cooking, and prolonged storage. Fasting and metabolic disorders and/or defects in MG detoxification processes cause accumulation of this reactive dicarbonyl in vivo. In addition, the intake of low doses of MG over a prolonged period of time can cause degenerative changes in different tissues, and can also exert anticancer activity. MG in biological samples can be quantified by HPLC or GC methods with preliminary derivatization into more stable chromophores and/or fluorophores, or derivatives suitable for determination by MS by use of diamino derivatives of benzene and naphthalene, 6-hydroxy-2,4,5-triaminopyrimidine, cysteamine, and o-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl) hydroxylamine. The methods include three basic steps: deproteinization, incubation with derivatization agent, and chromatographic analysis with or without preliminary extraction of the formed products.

Stimulation of suicidal erythrocyte death by methylglyoxal

Diabetes increases the percentage of circulating erythrocytes exposing phosphatidylserine (PS) at the cell surface. PS-exposing erythrocytes are recognized, bound, engulfed and degraded by macrophages. Thus, PS exposure, a feature of suicidal erythrocyte death or eryptosis, accelerates clearance of affected erythrocytes from circulating blood. Moreover, PS-exposing erythrocytes bind to the vascular wall thus interfering with microcirculation. The present study explored mechanisms involved in the triggering of PS exposure by methylgloxal, an extra- and intracellular metabolite which is enhanced in diabetes. PS exposure, cell size and cytosolic Ca(2+)-activity after methylglyoxal treatment were measured by FACS analysis of annexin V binding, forward scatter and Fluo-3-fluorescence, respectively, and it was shown that the treatment significantly enhanced the percentage of PS-exposing erythrocytes at concentrations (0.3 microM) encountered in diabetic patients. Surprisingly, methylglyoxal did not significantly increase cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration, and at concentrations up to 3 microM, did not decrease the forward scatter. Instead, exposure to methylglyoxal inhibited glycolysis thus decreasing ATP and GSH concentrations. In conclusion, methylglyoxal impairs energy production and anti-oxidative defense, effects contributing to the enhanced PS exposure of circulating erythrocytes and eventually resulting in anemia and deranged microcirculation.

Oxidation of acetylacetone catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase in the absence of hydrogen peroxide

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is a plant enzyme widely used in biotechnology, including antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT). Here, we showed that HRP is able to catalyze the autoxidation of acetylacetone in the absence of hydrogen peroxide. This autoxidation led to generation of methylglyoxal and reactive oxygen species. The production of superoxide anion was evidenced by the effect of superoxide dismutase and by the generation of oxyperoxidase during the enzyme turnover. The HRP has a high specificity for acetylacetone, since the similar beta-dicarbonyls dimedon and acetoacetate were not oxidized. As this enzyme prodrug combination was highly cytotoxic for neutrophils and only requires the presence of a non-human peroxidase and acetylacetone, it might immediately be applied to research on the ADEPT techniques. The acetylacetone could be a starting point for the design of new drugs applied in HRP-related ADEPT techniques.

Elevated level of methylglyoxal during diabetic ketoacidosis and its recovery phase

Carbonyl stress is hypothesized to be an associated complication of diabetic ketoacidosis. The production of the glycolytic intermediate methylglyoxal (MG) was followed up in 7 diabetic patients treated for ketoacidosis during pretreatment and recovery phase. Blood samples for methylglyoxal analysis were collected upon patient arrival in emergency department (0 h), and during ketoacidosis treatment between 12-24 h and at 168 h. The study also included 10 normoglycaemic healthy volunteers and 31 type 1 diabetic patients (control diabetes group). The methylglyoxal assay, based on methylglyoxal derivation with 1,2-diamino-4,5-dimethoxybenzene (DDB), was performed by HPLC, only assessing the level of free methylglyoxal. The baseline level of methylglyoxal recorded in normoglycemic healthy controls was 338 +/- 62 nmol/l versus 374 +/- 89 nmol/l in control diabetes group (P = 0.0407). A consistent feature of diabetic ketoacidosis before and during treatment was striking elevation of methylglyoxal as compared with control diabetes group (median test chi(2) = 14.6, df = 3, P = 0.0021). Friedman's ANOVA indicated differences (P = 0.04) among the three sampling times with a peak value (601 +/- 95 nmol/l) at 12-24 h following therapy initiation. However, fasting treatment values at 168 h were still significantly higher than the mean fasting methylglyoxal level in control diabetes group (P = 0.008). The study indicated that diabetic ketoacidosis results in an increase in methylglyoxal level. Excessive production of toxic intermediates such are alpha-dicarbonyls may be a link connecting an acute metabolic event with accelerated tissue damage, a feature characteristic of long-term complications of diabetes.

Methylglyoxal-derived β-carbolines formed from tryptophan and its derivates in the Maillard reaction

Reaction of tryptophan, tryptophan methyl ester and tryptamine with methylglyoxal (a physiological alpha-oxoaldehyde), which resulted in beta-carboline formation, showed that this type of nonenzymatic (Maillard) reaction could spontaneously occur in living organisms or during commercial or domestic food processing and storage.