Atmospheric pressure electrospray ionization mass spectra of glucose and 2-fluorodeoxyglucose for quantitative analysis of 2-fluorodeoxyglucose by high-performance liquid chromatography

Sophorolipid Biosurfactant Can Control Cutaneous Dermatophytosis Caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Trichophyton mentagrophytes, a zoophilic species, is one of the most frequently isolated dermatophytes in many parts of the world. This study investigated the efficacy of a sophorolipid (SL-YS3) produced by Rhodotorula babjevae YS3 against dermatophytosis caused by T. mentagrophytes. SL-YS3 was characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS). SL-YS3 comprised of six different fatty acids as the hydrophobic components of constituent congeners and sophorose as the hydrophilic component. Inhibitory effects of purified SL-YS3 against hyphal growth was found to be 85% at a 2 mg ml^–1 concentration, and MIC was 1 mg ml^–1. Microscopic examination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that SL-YS3 exerts its effect by disrupting cell membrane integrity causing cell death. SL-YS3 was also effective in reducing the biofilms formed by T. mentagrophytes, which was observed spectrophotometrically with crystal-violet staining and further validated with SEM and CLSM studies of treated biofilms. In vivo studies in a mouse model of cutaneous dermatophytosis involving macroscopic observations, percent culture recovery from skin samples, and histopathological studies showed that SL-YS3 could effectively cure the infected mice after 21 days of topical treatment. Terbinafine (TRB) was used as a standard drug in the experiments. We demonstrate, for the first time, the antidermatophytic activity of a sophorolipid biosurfactant. The findings are suggestive that SL-YS3 can be formulated as a novel antifungal compound to treat cutaneous mycoses caused by T. mentagrophytes.

Development and Validation of a Liquid Chromatographic Method for the Analysis of Positron Emission Tomography Radiopharmaceuticals with Ru(bpy)32+-KMnO4 Chemiluminescence Detection

A sensitive, selective and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with chemiluminescence (CL) detection was developed and validated for the analysis of positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals. This method is based on the CL reaction of PET compounds with tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) [Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)] and acidic potassium permanganate [KMnO(4)]. After optimization of the reaction conditions, 12 of the 14 PET compounds investigated could be successfully detected and showed good performance in terms of sensitivity, linearity and reproducibility. In particular, for compounds with a tertiary amine functional group, the limits of detection were ppb levels for a 20 microL injection volume. Finally, this method was used to determine PET compounds for calculating of specific radioactivity in pharmaceutical samples.

Simple and fast method for recognition of reducing and nonreducing neutral carbohydrates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Negative-ion mode matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) was used for the characterization of storage, neutral oligosaccharides extracted from Jerusalem artichoke, red onion, and wheat. The oligosaccharides from the real samples were analyzed with 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone as the most convenient matrix that was selected in advance with the standard carbohydrate samples (inulin and maltooligosaccharides). The oligosaccharides from Jerusalem artichoke and red onion (similarly as inulin) produced [M - H](-) peaks as the main distribution, which reflects their nonreducing composition. On the contrary, the cross-ring fragmentations [M - H - 120](-) formed the main distribution in the mass spectra of hydrolyzed wheat starch similarly to reducing maltooligosaccharides and dextrans. The negative-ion mode MALDI-TOF MS is capable of recognizing reducing and nonreducing oligosaccharides. Such a simple differentiation of malto or inulin type of oligosaccharides is not possible in the positive-ion mode.

Quality control of PET radiopharmaceuticals using HPLC with electrochemical detection

The usefulness of high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC/ECD) in the quality control of positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals was evaluated for a number of substances. Chromatographic separation was performed using a reversed phase column and acetonitrile or 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer as the mobile phase. The effluent from the column was introduced into an electrochemical detector equipped with a glassy carbon electrode versus Ag/AgCl electrode operated in the direct current mode. In 19 of 21 PET radiopharmaceuticals studied, the compounds and corresponding precursors used in the synthesis of the radiopharmaceuticals could be successfully detected by the HPLC/ECD method. For 17 compounds with electroactive functional groups, such as aliphatic amines, phenols and aromatic amines, the detection limits were ppb levels for a 20-mul injection volume; this was significantly better compared with ultraviolet (UV) detection. This method could be applied to the analysis of [11C]MP4A, useful PET radiopharmaceutical for measuring acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain with no available UV absorbance.

Separation and detection of oxidation products of fluorodeoxyglucose and glucose by high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F] FDG), the most popular positron emitting radiopharmaceutical, may oxidise by autoradiolysis in aqueous solution. The aim of this work was to use LC-MS for determination of the oxidation products of fluorodeoxyglucose and glucose (Glc) obtained by oxidation with Fenton's reagent. Asahipak NH2P-50 polyamide silica column and acetonitrile-0.025% aqueous ammonium formate (80:20 (v/v)) eluent were utilised with an Agilent 1100 HPLC-MS instrument. Ten major oxidation products of FDG and Glc were separated and identified by mass spectrometry: 2-fluorogluconic acid, 2-fluoroglucuronic acid, 2-oxoerythronic acid, arabinose, arabonic acid, araburonic acid, erythrose, erythrulose, gluconic acid, and glucuronic acid. The most intensive electrospray ionisation signals were found in the negative ion spectra and were due to HCOO- adducts, the other acids being in their lactone forms.