Using a global diversity panel of Cannabis sativa L. to develop a near InfraRed-based chemometric application for cannabinoid quantification

C. sativa has gained renewed interest as a cash crop for food, fibre and medicinal markets. Irrespective of the final product, rigorous quantitative testing for cannabinoids, the regulated biologically active constituents of C. sativa, is a legal prerequisite across the supply chains. Currently, the medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp industries depend on costly chromatographic analysis for cannabinoid quantification, limiting production, research and development. Combined with chemometrics, Near-InfraRed spectroscopy (NIRS) has potential as a rapid, accurate and economical alternative method for cannabinoid analysis. Using chromatographic data on 12 therapeutically relevant cannabinoids together with spectral output from a diffuse reflectance NIRS device, predictive chemometric models were built for major and minor cannabinoids using dried, homogenised C. sativa inflorescences from a diverse panel of 84 accessions. Coefficients of determination (r²) of the validation models for 10 of the 12 cannabinoids ranged from 0.8 to 0.95, with models for major cannabinoids showing best performance. NIRS was able to discriminate between neutral and acidic forms of cannabinoids as well as between C₃-alkyl and C₅-alkyl cannabinoids. The results show that NIRS, when used in conjunction with chemometrics, is a promising method to quantify cannabinoids in raw materials with good predictive results.

A sensitive, high-throughput fluorescent method for the determination of lactoperoxidase activities in milk and comparison in human, bovine, goat and camel milk

Lactoperoxidase (LPO) is one of the major antibacterial ingredients in milk and an extensively employed indicator for milk heat treatment. The traditional method for LPO activity measurement using ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) cannot achieve high sensitivity and is affected by indigenous milk thiocyanate. A more sensitive microplate fluorescent assay was developed by monitoring generation of red-fluorescent resorufin from LPO catalysed oxidation of Amplex® Red (1-(3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazin-10-yl)ethanone) in this study. The assay is particularly suitable for milk LPO activity measurement as it eliminates the influences of indigenous milk hydrogen peroxide and thiocyanate. The method limit of detection was 7.1x10^-6 U/mL of LPO in milk and good intra-run and inter-run precision was obtained. The LPO activities ranked as bovine > goat > camel > human in the four types of milk analysed. The high sensitivity and low cost of this assay makes it suitable for LPO activity analyses in both laboratory and commercial scales.

A sensitive and high-throughput fluorescent method for determination of oxidase activities in human, bovine, goat and camel milk

Milk oxidases are an integral part of milk immune system, and good indicators for milk thermal history. Current assay methods for milk oxidases are either insensitive, tedious or not cost-effective. In this study, a high-throughput fluorescence assay method for determination of xanthine oxidase (XO) and polyamine oxidase (PAO) activities in milk samples was developed. The hydrogen peroxide generated by XO catalysed oxidation of hypoxanthine, and PAO catalysed oxidation of spermine, was coupled to horseradish peroxidase conversion of Amplex® Red (1-(3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazin-10-yl)ethanone) to the fluorescent product resorufin. The assay was highly sensitive, with limits of detection of activity in milk being 3 × 10^-7 and 7 × 10^-7 U/mL for XO and PAO, respectively. Intra-run and inter-run results showed good assay repeatability and reproducibility. The assay was successfully applied to survey the XO and PAO activities in human, bovine, goat and camel milk samples, and it can be readily adapted for measurements of other oxidase activities.

A novel, quorum sensor-infused liposomal drug delivery system suppresses Candida albicans biofilms

In contrast to the plethora of antibacterial agents, only a handful of antifungals are currently available to treat Candida albicans biofilm-associated infections. Additional novel antibiofilm strategies to eliminate C. albicans biofilm infections are needed. This study aims to improve the efficacy of a widely used azole, fluconazole by co-delivering it with a Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing molecule (QSM), N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C12AHL) in a liposomal formulation. C12AHL is known to inhibit C. albicans' morphological transition and biofilm formation. Four different formulations of liposomes with fluconazole (L-F), with C12AHL (L-H), with fluconazole and C12AHL (L-HF), and a drug-free control (L-C) were prepared using a thin-film hydration followed by extrusion method, and characterised. The effect of liposomes on colonising (90 min-24 h) and preformed (24 h) C. albicans biofilms were assessed using a standard biofilm assay. Biofilm viability (XTT reduction assay), biomass (Safranin-O staining) and architecture (confocal laser scanning microscopy, CLSM) were determined. Similar efficiencies of fluconazole entrapment were noticed in L-HF and L-F (11.74% vs 10.2%), however, L-HF released greater quantities of fluconazole compared to L-F during 24 h (4.27% vs 0.97%, P < 0.05). The entrapment and release of C12AHL was similar for L-H and L-HF liposomes (33.3% vs 33% and 88.9% vs 92.3% respectively). L-HF treated colonising, and preformed biofilms exhibited >80%, and 60% reduction in their respective viabilities at a fluconazole concentration as low as 5.5 µg/mL compared to 12% and 36%, respective reductions observed in L-F treated biofilms (P < 0.05). CLSM confirmed biofilm disruption, lack of hyphae, and reduction in biomass when treated with L-HF compared to other liposomal preparations. Liposomal co-delivery of C12AHL and fluconazole appears to suppress C. albicans biofilms through efficacious disruption of the biofilm, killing of constituent yeasts, and diminishing their virulence at a significantly lower antifungal dose. Therefore, liposomal co-formulation of C12AHL and fluconazole appears to be a promising approach to improve the efficacy of this common triazole against biofilm-mediated candidal infections.

Bio-Guided Fractionation of Papaya Leaf Juice for Delineating the Components Responsible for the Selective Anti-proliferative Effects on Prostate Cancer Cells

Alternative therapies against cancer cells with minimal or no effect on healthy tissues are highly sought after. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequently diagnosed malignancy in males. The Carica papaya L. leaf extract has been traditionally used by Australian aboriginal people for anticancer properties. In this study, medium polar fraction of papaya leaf extract that had shown anti-proliferative activity in PCa cell lines in vitro, in earlier studies, was further fractionated to 28 fractions by semi-preparative HPLC. Nine of these fractions were identified to possess selective anti-proliferative responses on PCa cells in comparison to non-cancerous cells of prostate gland origin. When these nine sub-fractions were mixed in various combinations, a combination containing six of the specific fractions (FC-3) showed the best potency. FC3 inhibited the growth of BPH-1, PC-3, and LNCaP cells in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC₅₀ value <20 μg/mL, while (unlike paclitaxel, the positive control) minimal effect was observed on the proliferation of non-cancerous, WPMY-1 and RWPE-1cells. Furthermore, synergistic interaction of FC-3 with paclitaxel was observed with combination index values in the range of 0.89–0.98 and 0.85–1.10 on PC-3 and LNCaP cells, respectively. Untargeted qualitative analysis using UHPLC (Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography)-QToF (Quadrupole Time of-Flight) mass spectrometry and screening against the METLIN database indicated presence of multiple known anticancer compounds in the FC-3 extract. These outcomes show that the potent and selective anti-proliferative effects are due to a range of bio-active compounds within the medium polar fraction of papaya leaf juice.

Separation of highly charged compounds using competing ions with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography - Application to assay of cellular nucleotides

Separation of highly charged compounds has always been a challenge in chromatography. Ion-pair reversed phase chromatography has been the most successful approach to date. Although polar reversed phase and HILIC columns have been introduced, they have limitations with highly charged compounds. Competing ions have been used, in addition to ion-pair reagent, to achieve better resolution with reversed phase columns. Herein, we explored the use of competing ions with HILIC columns to demonstrate the effects on retention and separation of mono-, di-, and tri-nucleotides, introducing a new tool to improve resolution with HILIC columns. HILIC columns that had irreversibly retained highly charged tri-nucleotides became capable of successfully separating the same compounds, by using this approach. The optimised method was used to successfully resolve a mixture of 12 nucleotides with charges ranging from 1^- to 3^-. The method was applied to quantify nucleotides in blood cell extracts.

Standard addition with internal standardisation as an alternative to using stable isotope labelled internal standards to correct for matrix effects-Comparison and validation using liquid chromatography-​tandem mass spectrometric assay of vitamin D

With mass spectrometric detection in liquid chromatography, co-eluting impurities affect the analyte response due to ion suppression/enhancement. Internal standard calibration method, using co-eluting stable isotope labelled analogue of each analyte as the internal standard, is the most appropriate technique available to correct for these matrix effects. However, this technique is not without drawbacks, proved to be expensive because separate internal standard for each analyte is required, and the labelled compounds are expensive or require synthesising. Traditionally, standard addition method has been used to overcome the matrix effects in atomic spectroscopy and was a well-established method. This paper proposes the same for mass spectrometric detection, and demonstrates that the results are comparable to those with the internal standard method using labelled analogues, for vitamin D assay. As conventional standard addition procedure does not address procedural errors, we propose the inclusion of an additional internal standard (not co-eluting). Recoveries determined on human serum samples show that the proposed method of standard addition yields more accurate results than the internal standardisation using stable isotope labelled analogues. The precision of the proposed method of standard addition is superior to the conventional standard addition method.

Production of N-acyl homoserine lactones by the sponge-associated marine actinobacteria Salinispora arenicola and Salinispora pacifica

The structures of acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) compounds and their quantification were accomplished using an integrated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry approach. The precursor and product ions, along with retention times of peaks, were searched against an in-house database of AHLs and structures confirmed by accurate mass and by comparison with authentic AHL standards. The two compounds, N-(3-oxodecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone and N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone, were characterised and quantified in Salinispora sp. cultures.

The efficacy of Dynorphin fragments at the κ, μ and δ opioid receptor in transfected HEK cells and in an animal model of unilateral peripheral inflammation

Dynorphin 1-17 is an endogenous peptide that is released at sites of inflammation by leukocytes, binding preferentially to κ-opioid receptors (KOP) to mediate nociception. We have previously shown that dynorphin 1-17 is rapidly biotransformed to smaller peptide fragments in inflamed tissue homogenate. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and potency of selected dynorphin fragments produced in an inflamed environment at the KOP, μ and δ-opioid receptors (MOP and DOP respectively) and in a model of inflammatory pain. Functional activity of Dynorphin 1-17 and fragments (1-6, 1-7 and 1-9) were screened over a range of concentrations against forskolin stimulated human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK) cells stably transfected with one of KOP, MOP or DOP. The analgesic activity of dynorphin 1-7 in a unilateral model of inflammatory pain was subsequently tested. Rats received unilateral intraplantar injections of Freund's Complete Adjuvant to induce inflammation. After six days rats received either dynorphin 1-7, 1-17 or the selective KOP agonist U50488H and mechanical allodynia determined. Dynorphin 1-7 and 1-9 displayed the greatest activity across all receptor subtypes, while dynorphin 1-7, 1-9 and 1-17 displaying a potent activation of both KOP and DOP evidenced by cAMP inihibition. Administration of dynorphin 1-7 and U50488H, but not dynorphin 1-17 resulted in a significant increase in paw pressure threshold at an equimolar dose suggesting the small peptide dynorphin 1-7 mediates analgesia. These results show that dynorphin fragments produced in an inflamed tissue homogenate have changed activity at the opioid receptors and that dynorphin 1-7 mediates analgesia.

Selective anti-proliferative activities of Carica papaya leaf juice extracts against prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in men. Carica papaya is a popular tropical plant that has been traditionally used for its nutritional and medicinal properties.

METHODS

We investigated the anti-proliferative responses of papaya leaf juice (LJP) and its various extracts ("biological"- in vitro digested, "physical"- size exclusion, and "chemical"-solvent extraction) on a range of cell lines representing benign hyperplasia, tumorigenic and normal cells of prostate origin.

RESULTS

Time course analysis (by 24h, 48h and 72h) of LJP (1-0.1mg/mL) before and after in vitro digestion, and of molecular weight based fractions of LJP showed anti-proliferative responses. The medium polarity fraction of LJP (0.03-0.003mg/mL) after 72h exposure showed potent growth inhibitory (IC₅₀=0.02-0.07mg/mL) and cytotoxic activities on all prostate cells, with the exception of the normal (RWPE-1 and WPMY-1) cells. Flow cytometry analysis showed S phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis as a possible mechanism for these activities. Medium polar fraction of LJP also inhibited migration and adhesion of metastatic PC-3 cells.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report suggesting selective anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic attributes of LJP extract against prostatic diseases, including PCa.

Effect of pasteurisation on the concentrations of vitamin D compounds in donor breastmilk

Premature infants are the main recipients of pasteurised donor human milk (PDHM), when their mothers are unable to provide their own. In this study, we evaluated the effect of pasteurisation on the concentrations of vitamin D compounds in donor breastmilk. Milk samples were obtained pre- and post-Holder pasteurisation. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to analyse the samples for vitamins D2 and D3 (D2 and D3) and 25-hydroxyvitamins D2 and D3 (25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3). The significance of differences in vitamin D concentrations between the two groups of milk samples was assessed using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test, in which p < 0.05 was considered significant. Pasteurisation resulted in a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the content of D2, D3, 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3. The losses ranged from 10% to 20% following pasteurisation.

Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of Carica papaya

Chronic inflammation is linked with the generation and progression of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes and atherosclerosis, and anti-inflammatory drugs therefore have the potential to assist in the treatment of these conditions. Carica papaya is a tropical plant that is traditionally used in the treatment of various ailments including inflammatory conditions. A literature search was conducted by using the keywords "papaya", "anti-inflammatory and inflammation" and "immunomodulation and immune" along with cross-referencing. Both in vitro and in vivo investigation studies were included. This is a review of all studies published since 2000 on the anti-inflammatory activity of papaya extracts and their effects on various immune-inflammatory mediators. Studies on the anti-inflammatory activities of recognized phytochemicals present in papaya are also included. Although in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that papaya extracts and papaya-associated phytochemicals possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, clinical studies are lacking.

Traditional Aboriginal Preparation Alters the Chemical Profile of Carica papaya Leaves and Impacts on Cytotoxicity towards Human Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Carica papaya leaf decoction, an Australian Aboriginal remedy, has been used widely for its healing capabilities against cancer, with numerous anecdotal reports. In this study we investigated its in vitro cytotoxicity on human squamous cell carcinoma cells followed by metabolomic profiling of Carica papaya leaf decoction and leaf juice/brewed leaf juice to determine the effects imparted by the long heating process typical of the Aboriginal remedy preparation. MTT assay results showed that in comparison with the decoction, the leaf juice not only exhibited a stronger cytotoxic effect on SCC25 cancer cells, but also produced a significant cancer-selective effect as shown by tests on non-cancerous human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Furthermore, evidence from testing brewed leaf juice on these two cell lines suggested that the brewing process markedly reduced the selective effect of Carica papaya leaf on SCC25 cancer cells. To tentatively identify the compounds that contribute to the distinct selective anticancer activity of leaf juice, an untargeted metabolomic approach employing Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry followed by multivariate data analysis was applied. Some 90 and 104 peaks in positive and negative mode respectively were selected as discriminatory features from the chemical profile of leaf juice and >1500 putative compound IDs were obtained via database searching. Direct comparison of chromatographic and tandem mass spectral data to available reference compounds confirmed one feature as a match with its proposed authentic standard, namely pheophorbide A. However, despite pheophorbide A exhibiting cytotoxic activity on SCC25 cancer cells, it did not prove to be the compound contributing principally to the selective activity of leaf juice. With promising results suggesting stronger and more selective anticancer effects when compared to the Aboriginal remedy, Carica papaya leaf juice warrants further study to explore its activity on other cancer cell lines, as well as investigation to confirm the identity of compounds contributing to its selective effect, particularly those compounds altered by the long heating process applied during the traditional Aboriginal remedy preparation.

Chemical Characterization and in Vitro Cytotoxicity on Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells of Carica papaya Leaf Extracts

In traditional medicine, Carica papaya leaf has been used for a wide range of therapeutic applications including skin diseases and cancer. In this study, we investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Carica papaya leaves on the human oral squamous cell carcinoma SCC25 cell line in parallel with non-cancerous human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Two out of four extracts showed a significantly selective effect towards the cancer cells and were found to contain high levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The chromatographic and mass spectrometric profiles of the extracts obtained with Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry were used to tentatively identify the bioactive compounds using comparative analysis. The principal compounds identified were flavonoids or flavonoid glycosides, particularly compounds from the kaempferol and quercetin families, of which several have previously been reported to possess anticancer activities. These results confirm that papaya leaf is a potential source of anticancer compounds and warrant further scientific investigation to validate the traditional use of papaya leaf to treat cancer.

Breastmilk-Saliva Interactions Boost Innate Immunity by Regulating the Oral Microbiome in Early Infancy

INTRODUCTION

Xanthine oxidase (XO) is distributed in mammals largely in the liver and small intestine, but also is highly active in milk where it generates hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Adult human saliva is low in hypoxanthine and xanthine, the substrates of XO, and high in the lactoperoxidase substrate thiocyanate, but saliva of neonates has not been examined.

RESULTS

Median concentrations of hypoxanthine and xanthine in neonatal saliva (27 and 19 μM respectively) were ten-fold higher than in adult saliva (2.1 and 1.7 μM). Fresh breastmilk contained 27.3 ± 12.2 μM H2O2 but mixing baby saliva with breastmilk additionally generated >40 μM H2O2, sufficient to inhibit growth of the opportunistic pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. Oral peroxidase activity in neonatal saliva was variable but low (median 7 U/L, range 2-449) compared to adults (620 U/L, 48-1348), while peroxidase substrate thiocyanate in neonatal saliva was surprisingly high. Baby but not adult saliva also contained nucleosides and nucleobases that encouraged growth of the commensal bacteria Lactobacillus, but inhibited opportunistic pathogens; these nucleosides/bases may also promote growth of immature gut cells. Transition from neonatal to adult saliva pattern occurred during the weaning period. A survey of saliva from domesticated mammals revealed wide variation in nucleoside/base patterns.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

During breast-feeding, baby saliva reacts with breastmilk to produce reactive oxygen species, while simultaneously providing growth-promoting nucleotide precursors. Milk thus plays more than a simply nutritional role in mammals, interacting with infant saliva to produce a potent combination of stimulatory and inhibitory metabolites that regulate early oral-and hence gut-microbiota. Consequently, milk-saliva mixing appears to represent unique biochemical synergism which boosts early innate immunity.

Effects of salinity on antibiotic production in sponge-derived Salinispora actinobacteria

AIMS

To investigate the effects of growth conditions related to marine habitat on antibiotic production in sponge-derived Salinispora actinobacteria.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Media with varying salt concentration were used to investigate the effects of salinity in relation to Salinispora growth and rifamycin production. The chemotypic profiles of the model strain Salinispora arenicola M413 was then assessed using metabolomic fingerprints from high-pressure liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and multivariate data analysis, before extending this approach to two other strains of S. arenicola. Fingerprint data were generated from extracts of S. arenicola broth cultures grown in media of varying salt (NaCl) concentrations. These fingerprints were then compared using multivariate analysis methods such as principal components analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). From the analysis, a low-sodium growth condition (1% NaCl) was found to delay the onset of growth of the model S. arenicola M413 strain when compared to growth in media with either 3% artificial sea salt or 3% NaCl. However, low-sodium growth conditions also increased cell mass yield and contributed to at least a significant twofold increase in rifamycin yield when compared to growth in 3% artificial sea salt and 3% NaCl.

CONCLUSIONS

The integration of HPLC-DAD and multivariate analysis proved to be an effective method of assessing chemotypic variations in Salinispora grown in different salt conditions, with clear differences between strain-related chemotypes apparent due to varying salt concentrations.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The observed variation in S. arenicola chemotypic profiles further suggests diversity in secondary metabolites in this actinomycete in response to changes in the salinity of its environment.

Two peptides, cycloaspeptide A and nazumamide A from a sponge associated marine actinobacterium Salinispora sp

Marine sponges are a major component of benthic communities and act as a reservoir for microbial species. In terms of biomass, they are the richest source of secondary metabolite production, with the potential to influence both benthic and pelagic systems. In most cases it is the sponge-associated microbes that account for many of the secondary metabolites assigned to the host. Here we report the occurrence of cycloaspeptide A, a fungus-derived cyclic peptide, in a culturable bacterium Salinispora arenicola. We have also identified nazumamide A, a sponge-derived linear tetrapeptide currently used as a thrombin inhibitor, in Salinispora pacifica. Their structures were determined using an integrated approach consisting of: (1) HPLC-UV-Vis-QToF-MS analysis with multimode ionization (ESI and APCI) and fast polarity switching; (2) database searching and matching of monoisotopic masses, retention times, mass spectra of the precursor and product ions of the compounds of interest and the authentic reference standards thereof.

Two Peptides, Cycloaspeptide A and Nazumamide A from a Sponge Associated Marine Actinobacterium Salinispora sp

Marine sponges are a major component of benthic communities and act as a reservoir for microbial species. In terms of biomass, they are the richest source of secondary metabolite production, with the potential to influence both benthic and pelagic systems. In most cases it is the sponge-associated microbes that account for many of the secondary metabolites assigned to the host. Here we report the occurrence of cycloaspeptide A, a fungus-derived cyclic peptide, in a culturable bacterium Salinispora arenicola. We have also identified nazumamide A, a sponge-derived linear tetrapeptide currently used as a thrombin inhibitor, in Salinispora pacifica. Their structures were determined using an integrated approach consisting of: (1) HPLC-UV-Vis-QToF-MS analysis with multimode ionization (ESI and APCI) and fast polarity switching; (2) database searching and matching of monoisotopic masses, retention times, mass spectra of the precursor and product ions of the compounds of interest and the authentic reference standards thereof.

Discovering the recondite secondary metabolome spectrum of Salinispora species: a study of inter-species diversity

Patterns of inter-species secondary metabolite production by bacteria can provide valuable information relating to species ecology and evolution. The complex nature of this chemical diversity has previously been probed via directed analyses of a small number of compounds, identified through targeted assays rather than more comprehensive biochemical profiling approaches such as metabolomics. Insights into ecological and evolutionary relationships within bacterial genera can be derived through comparative analysis of broader secondary metabolite patterns, and this can also eventually assist biodiscovery search strategies for new natural products. Here, we investigated the species-level chemical diversity of the two marine actinobacterial species Salinispora arenicola and Salinispora pacifica, isolated from sponges distributed across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), via their secondary metabolite profiles using LC-MS-based metabolomics. The chemical profiles of these two species were obtained by UHPLC-QToF-MS based metabolic profiling. The resultant data were interrogated using multivariate data analysis methods to compare their (bio)chemical profiles. We found a high level of inter-species diversity in strains from these two bacterial species. We also found rifamycins and saliniketals were produced exclusively by S. arenicola species, as the main secondary metabolites differentiating the two species. Furthermore, the discovery of 57 candidate compounds greatly increases the small number of secondary metabolites previously known to be produced by these species. In addition, we report the production of rifamycin O and W, a key group of ansamycin compounds, in S. arenicola for the first time. Species of the marine actinobacteria harbour a much wider spectrum of secondary metabolites than suspected, and this knowledge may prove a rich field for biodiscovery as well as a database for understanding relationships between speciation, evolution and chemical ecology.

Beta-endorphin 1-31 biotransformation and cAMP modulation in inflammation

A large body of evidence now exists for the immune cell expression, production, and the release of beta-endorphin (BE 1–31) within inflamed tissue. The inflammatory milieu is characterised by increased acidity, temperature and metabolic activity. Within these harsh conditions BE 1–31 is even more susceptible to increased enzymatic degradation over that of plasma or other non-injured tissue. To elucidate the biotransformation pathways of BE 1–31 and provide an insight to the impact of inflamed tissue environments, BE 1–31 and three of its major N-terminal fragments (BE 1–11, BE 1–13 and BE 1–17) were incubated in inflamed tissue homogenates at pH 5.5 for 2 hrs. In addition, the potency of BE 1–31 and five main N – terminal fragments (BE 1–9, BE 1–11, BE 1–13, BE 1–17, BE 1–20) was assessed at mu-opioid receptors (MOR), delta-opioid receptors (DOR), and kappa-opioid receptors (KOR). Opioid receptor potency was investigated by examining the modulation of forskolin induced cAMP accumulation. The majority of the N-terminal fragment of BE 1–31 had similar efficacy to BE 1–31 at MOR. The shortest of the major N-terminal fragments (BE 1–9), had partial agonist activity at MOR but possessed the highest potency of all tested peptides at DOR. There was limited effect for BE 1–31 and the biotransformed peptides at KOR. Major N-terminal fragments produced within inflamed tissue have increased presence within inflamed tissue over that of the parent molecule BE 1–31 and may therefore contribute to BE 1–31 efficacy within disease states that involve inflammation.

Bacterial production of the fungus-derived cholesterol-lowering agent mevinolin

Forty-five strains from two different species (Salinispora arenicola and Salinispora pacifica) were isolated from three different marine sponge species in the Great Barrier Reef region of Australia. We found that two of the strains of Salinispora arenicola (MV0335 and MV0029) produced mevinolin, a fungus-derived cholesterol-lowering agent. Compound structure was determined using an integrated approach: (a) high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometric analysis with multimode ionization (electrospray ionization and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization) and fast polarity switching; and (b) database searching and matching of monoisotopic masses, retention times and mass spectra of the precursor and product ions of the compounds of interest and the authentic reference standards thereof.

Study of beta endorphin metabolism in inflamed tissue, serum and trypsin solution by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric analysis

Beta endorphin (β-END) is recognised as one of the most significant endogenous neuropeptides, responsible for a wide range of biological activities in the body. However, within the body β-END is exposed to hydrolysis by a variety of enzymes. In this study, we investigated the metabolism and fragmentation pattern of β-END in rat inflamed tissue, in rat serum and in trypsin solution. β-END (1-31)-rat was incubated at 37 °C in each matrix for different incubation times. The resultant fragments were separated using a C4 column and detected by mass spectrometry using total ion current mode. Structural information for the fragments was elucidated using tandem mass spectrometry. Incubation of β-END (1-31)-rat in trypsin solution and in rat serum resulted in 8 and 13 fragments, respectively. Incubation in inflamed rat paw tissue resulted in 22 fragments at pH 7.4 and 26 fragments at pH 5.5. Some of these fragments were common to both pH values. The degradation of β-END (1-31)-rat in inflamed tissue at pH 5.5 was faster than that at pH 7.4. Secondary fragmentation of some larger primary fragments was also observed in this study.

Effect of solvent and electrospray mass spectrometer parameters on the charge state distribution of peptides--a case study using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method development for beta-endorphin assay

Beta-endorphin was used as a model peptide to study the effect of solvent and electrospray mass spectrometer parameters in the optimisation of an assay method for multiply charged compounds using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Unlike with singly charged compounds, the charge state distribution has a significant impact in the method development of multiply charged compounds such as peptides. Using a 50% acetonitrile/water solvent mixture, we found that the ion spray voltage had no influence on the charge state distribution. However, increasing declustering potential led to deprotonation of the higher charge states of the peptide thus causing a shift to lower charge states. The mechanism leading to the deprotonation was examined. It was concluded that the deprotonation is due to endoergic proton transfer from the peptide to solvent molecules clustered to the peptide that occurs in the declustering region. The extent of deprotonation increases with increasing proton affinity of the molecules of the non-aqueous solvent component used. Thus, if desired, deprotonation can be avoided by selecting a low proton affinity solvent such as methanol. The focusing potential was also found to have a great influence on the charge state distribution observed. The results of this study enabled us to select the optimum ion to be used in single ion/reaction monitoring mode. They also provided the most favourable parameter values to be used in the method to obtain the best sensitivity for the ion of choice. The results demonstrate the importance of considering the charge state distribution in the optimisation of electrospray LC/MS methods for multiply charged compounds.

Matrix matching in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with stable isotope labelled internal standards--is it necessary?

Matrix matching is used in analysis to compensate for matrix effects that influence analytical response. It has been a widely discussed topic in electro-spray mass spectrometry where the ionization suppression is a major problem in accurate quantitative analysis. However, the unique strength of mass spectrometry to detect and quantify accurately a co-eluting stable isotope labelled internal standard offers an easy solution to the ionization suppression problem. Given the fact that it is impossible to match the matrix of the calibration standards with all samples, mass spectrometry allows accurate quantitation without the need for matrix matching, as long as the internal standard co-elutes with the analyte of interest. If the analyte and internal standard co-elute, the slope of the calibration curve analyte response/internal standard vs. analyte concentration is independent of the matrix composition, eliminating the need for matrix matching.

Diversity of Mycobacterium species from marine sponges and their sensitivity to antagonism by sponge-derived rifamycin-synthesizing actinobacterium in the genus Salinispora

Eleven isolates of Mycobacterium species as well as an antimycobacterial Salinispora arenicola strain were cultured from the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. The 16S rRNA, rpoB, and hsp65 genes from these Mycobacterium isolates were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis of a concatenated alignment showed the formation of a large clade with Mycobacterium poriferae isolated previously from another sponge species. The separation of these Mycobacterium isolates into three species-level groups was evident from sequence similarity and phylogenetic analyses. In addition, an isolate that is phylogenetically related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis was recovered from the sponge Fascaplysinopsis sp. Several different mycobacteria thus appear to co-occur in the same sponge. An actinobacterium closely related to S. arenicola, a known producer of the antimycobacterial rifamycins, was coisolated from the same A. queenslandica specimen from which mycobacteria had been isolated. This Salinispora isolate was confirmed to synthesize rifamycin and displayed inhibitory effects against representatives from two of three Mycobacterium phylotype groups. Evidence for antagonism of sponge-derived Salinispora against sponge-derived Mycobacterium strains from the same sponge specimen and the production of antimycobacterial antibiotics by this Salinispora strain suggest that the synthesis of such antibiotics may have functions in competition between sponge microbial community members.

Effect of ionization suppression by trace impurities in mobile phase water on the accuracy of quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column is capable of enrichment/pre-concentration of trace impurities in the mobile phase during the column equilibration, prior to sample injection and elution. These impurities elute during gradient elution and result in significant chromatographic peaks. Three types of purified water were tested for their impurity levels, and hence their performances as mobile phase, in HPLC followed by total ion current (TIC) mode of MS. Two types of HPLC-grade water produced 3-4 significant peaks in solvent blanks while LC/MS-grade water produced no peaks (although peaks were produced by LC/MS-grade water also after a few days of standing). None of the three waters produced peaks in HPLC followed by UV-Vis detection. These peaks, if co-eluted with analyte, are capable of suppressing or enhancing the analyte signal in a MS detector. As it is not common practice to run solvent blanks in TIC mode, when quantification is commonly carried out using single ion monitoring (SIM) or single or multiple reaction monitoring (SRM or MRM), the effect of co-eluting impurities on the analyte signal and hence on the accuracy of the results is often unknown to the analyst. Running solvent blanks in TIC mode, regardless of the MS mode used for quantification, is essential in order to detect this problem and to take subsequent precautions.

Mango extracts and the mango component mangiferin promote endothelial cell migration

This study tested the hypothesis that mango extracts contain bioactive molecules capable of modulating endothelial cell migration, an essential step in the formation of new blood vessels or angiogenesis. The formation of new blood vessels is an important therapeutic target for diseases such as limb ischemia, coronary infarction or stroke. We examined the effect of mango peel and flesh extracts as well as the individual polyphenolic molecules, mangiferin and quercetin, on bovine aortic cell migration using a modified Boyden chamber assay. Our results show that mangiferin, and extracts rich in mangiferin, increase endothelial cell migration. The dose-effect relationship for various extracts further suggests that this action of mangiferin is modulated by other components present in the extracts. The promigratory effect of mango extracts or mangiferin was unrelated to an effect on cell proliferation, and did not involve a change in the production of matrix metalloprotease-2 or -9 by the endothelial cells. Taken together, these results suggest that mangiferin present in mango extracts may have health promoting effects in diseases related to the impaired formation of new blood vessels.

Screening of rifamycin producing marine sponge bacteria by LC-MS-MS

HPLC-MS-MS has been used for the identification and characterisation of rifamycin B and rifamycin SV in various strains of the marine sponge-derived bacterium Salinispora. Gradient elution using acetonitrile/water/ammonium acetate was used to separate the rifamycins from the matrix and negative ion-electrospray mass spectrometry was used for detection and confirmation. The presence of rifamycin in bacterial extracts was confirmed by matching retention times, parent ion spectra and the fragmentated parent ion spectra of the standard compounds and the bacterial extracts. All strains of the marine sponge bacterium Salinispora tested were found to contain rifamycin thus an alternate actinobacterial source of rifamycin was established.

Saponins from Quillaja saponaria Molina: Isolation, Characterization and Ability to Form Immuno Stimulatory Complexes (ISCOMs)

ISCOMs have received much attention as vaccine adjuvants due to their immunostimulatory effects. They are colloidal particles typically comprised of phospholipids, cholesterol and Quil A, a crude mixture of saponins extracted from the bark of Quillaja saponaria Molina. We have previously shown that ISCOMs can be prepared by ether injection wherein an ether solution of phospholipids and cholesterol in a mass ratio of 5:2 is injected into a solution of Quil A at a mass ratio of 7 lipids: 3 Quil A. The aim of this study was firstly to isolate and characterise discrete fractions of Quil A and secondly to investigate which of these fractions were able to form ISCOMs by the method of ether injection. Six fractions of Quil A were isolated by semi-preparative reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and characterised by analytical HPLC, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and the qualitative Liebermann-Burchard and Molisch tests for triterpenoids and carbohydrates respectively. ISCOMs were subsequently prepared from the isolated fractions by the method of ether injection and the resulting preparations characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and negative stain transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The molecular weights of the major compounds in the fractions ranged from approximately 1200 to approximately 2300 Da; all fractions tested positive for triterpenoids and saccharides and four of the fractions were identified as QS-7, QS-17, QS-18 and QS-21 by analysis (LC-MS and analytical HPLC). Injection of ether solutions of lipids into aqueous solutions of QS-17, QS-18 or QS-21 all resulted in homogeneous ISCOM dispersions. The combination of lipids and QS-7 by ether injection produced lamellae and liposomes as the prominent structures and a minor amount of ISCOMs. The remaining two hydrophilic, low molecular weight fractions of Quil A did not produce ISCOMs, instead liposomes and helical structures predominated in the samples.

Disruption of NaS1 sulfate transport function in mice leads to enhanced acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity

Sulfate is required for detoxification of xenobiotics such as acetaminophen (APAP), a leading cause of liver failure in humans. The NaS1 sulfate transporter maintains blood sulfate levels sufficiently high for sulfonation reactions to work effectively for drug detoxification. In the present study, we identified two loss-of-function polymorphisms in the human NaS1 gene and showed the Nas1-null mouse to be hypersensitive to APAP hepatotoxicity. APAP treatment led to increased liver damage and decreased hepatic glutathione levels in the hyposulfatemic Nas1-null mice compared with that in normosulfatemic wild-type mice. Analysis of urinary APAP metabolites revealed a significantly lower ratio of APAP-sulfate to APAP-glucuronide in the Nas1-null mice. These results suggest hyposulfatemia increases sensitivity to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity by decreasing the sulfonation capacity to metabolize APAP. In conclusion, the results of this study highlight the importance of plasma sulfate level as a key modulator of acetaminophen metabolism and suggest that individuals with reduced NaS1 sulfate transporter function would be more sensitive to hepatotoxic agents.

Discovery of a new source of rifamycin antibiotics in marine sponge actinobacteria by phylogenetic prediction

Phylogenetic analysis of the ketosynthase (KS) gene sequences of marine sponge-derived Salinispora strains of actinobacteria indicated that the polyketide synthase (PKS) gene sequence most closely related to that of Salinispora was the rifamycin B synthase of Amycolatopsis mediterranei. This result was not expected from taxonomic species tree phylogenetics using 16S rRNA sequences. From the PKS sequence data generated from our sponge-derived Salinispora strains, we predicted that such strains might synthesize rifamycin-like compounds. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis was applied to one sponge-derived Salinispora strain to test the hypothesis of rifamycin synthesis. The analysis reported here demonstrates that this Salinispora isolate does produce compounds of the rifamycin class, including rifamycin B and rifamycin SV. A rifamycin-specific KS primer set was designed, and that primer set increased the number of rifamycin-positive strains detected by PCR screening relative to the number detectable using a conserved KS-specific set. Thus, the Salinispora group of actinobacteria represents a potential new source of rifamycins outside the genus Amycolatopsis and the first recorded source of rifamycins from marine bacteria.

Shortcomings of protein removal prior to high performance liquid chromatographic analysis—A case study using method development for BAY 11-7082

During the analytical method development for BAY 11-7082 ((E)-3-[4-methylphenylsulfonyl]-2-propenenitrile), using HPLC-MS-MS and HPLC-UV, we observed that the protein removal process (both ultrafiltration and precipitation method using organic solvents) prior to HPLC brought about a significant reduction in the concentration of this compound. The use of a structurally similar internal standard, BAY 11-7085 ((E)-3-[4-t-butylphenylsulfonyl]-2-propenenitrile), was not effective in compensating for the loss of analyte as the extent of reduction was different to that of the analyte. We present here a systematic investigation of this problem and a new validated method for the determination of BAY 11-7082.

Quantitative GC-MS analysis of D(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in fiber hemp varieties

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of total available D(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in fiber hemp varieties is described. The method was used for the regulatory purposes in which the detection of higher than the maximum allowed concentration of the psychoactive cannabinoid, D(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, in industrial fiber hemp would result in cancellation of the grower's license. Cannabinoids were extracted from dry leaf powder into hexane containing internal standard chrysene-d(12) using sonication. D(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol in the extract was separated by gas chromatography and quantitated by mass spectroscopy. A linear calibration range extending to 40 ppm and a limit of detection of 0.2 ng were obtained by using the total ion current mode of detection.

Enhancing the ratio of molecular ions to non-covalent compounds in the electrospray interface of LC-MS in quantitative analysis

A common problem encountered during the development of MS methods for the quantitation of small organic molecules by LC-MS is the formation of non-covalently bound species or adducts in the electrospray interface. Often the population of the molecular ion is insignificant compared to those of all other forms of the analyte produced in the electrospray, making it difficult to obtain the sensitivity required for accurate quantitation. We have investigated the effects of the following variables: orifice potential, nebulizer gas flow, temperature, solvent composition and the sample pH on the relative distributions of ions of the types MH+, MNa+, MNH4+, and 2MNa+, where M represents a small organic molecule: BAY 11-7082 ((E)-3-[4-methylphenylsulfonyl]-2-propenenitrile). Orifice potential, solvent composition and the sample pH had the greatest influence on the relative distributions of these ions, making these parameters the most useful for optimizing methods for the quantitation of small molecules.

Simultaneous determination of Vitamin E homologs in chicken meat by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple and reliable method for the simultaneous determination of all eight homologs of Vitamin E in chicken meat is described. All analytes, including the internal standard (alpha-tocopherol acetate), were eluted within 35 min and detected using their native fluorescence (295 nm excitation and 330 nm emission). Chromatography using hexane based eluent on a normal phase silica column included an initial column conditioning step to prevent irreversible adsorption of tocopherols and tocotrienols on silica. Lowest detectable levels of alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, alpha-tocotrienol, beta-tocotrienol, gamma-tocotrienol and delta-tocotrienol were 0.73, 0.86, 1.0, 1.2, 1.7 and 1.3 ng, respectively.

Simultaneous liquid chromatographic determination of creatinine and pseudouridine in bovine urine and the effect of sample pH on the analysis

A rapid, reliable method for the simultaneous determination of creatinine and pseudouridine is described. Both analytes were detected at an optimum wavelength of detection (262 nm), considering the relative levels present in bovine urine. Cimetidine was used as the internal standard and detected at its maximum wavelength of absorption (220 nm) on a separate channel. All three compounds were eluted within 15 min, using a 10 mmol/L phosphate buffer (pH 6.8)-methanol gradient on a C18 column. Creatinine data were found to be significantly dependent upon the pH of the sample. Recoveries of both analytes were above 96%. Lowest detectable levels of creatinine and pseudouridine were 0.28 nmol and 9.0 pmol, respectively. The use of internal standard resulted in a method with high precision (standard deviation of 1.42 mmol/L and 0.027 mmol/L for creatinine and pseudouridine), yet one that was simple and rapid.

Simultaneous determination of creatinine and pseudouridine concentrations in bovine plasma by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection

A simple, rapid method for the simultaneous determination of creatinine and pseudouridine in bovine plasma is described. Plasma was de-proteinised, concentrated, and chromatographed for 15 min on a C(18) column. Analytes were detected at an optimum wavelength (262 nm) and the internal standard (cimetidine) was detected at 220 nm. The pH of analysis was between 6.5 and 7 where both analytes exist in single chemical forms giving maximum accuracy. Recoveries of both analytes were above 96%. Lowest detectable amounts of creatinine and pseudouridine were 0.28 nmol and 9.0 pmol, and the typical levels detected (+/-SD) were 60 (+/-2.8) and 2.3 (+/-0.10) micromol/L, respectively.

Method for the extraction of riboflavin for high-performance liquid chromatography and application to casein

Three different approaches, including the commonly used acid digestion, were compared for the efficient extraction of very low concentrations of riboflavin (vitamin B2) from casein. An extraction method that used pepsin to release riboflavin was the most efficient. The pepsin extraction method was then further optimized using a factorial design to yield the maximum amount of riboflavin. The enzyme takadiastase was used for the conversion of all forms of riboflavin to the free form, and this conversion was found to be time dependent. A reversed-phase HPLC system with fluorescence detection and a methanol-water mobile phase containing acetate buffer were used for the separation and quantification of riboflavin in the extracts. A limit of detection of less than 0.1 mg kg-1 casein and a repeatability RSD of 3% were achieved. The recovery of the method was satisfactory.

An ion-exchange/atomic absorption method for the measurement of ionized calcium and magnesium at micromolar concentrations

A quantitative ion-exchange/atomic absorption method is described for measuring the concentration of free (hydrated) calcium and magnesium in solution at micromolar levels. Sample solutions are pumped through a micro-column of strong acid-type cation-exchange resin until equilibrium has been achieved between resin and solution. After removal of interstitial solution by first air, then water, the sorbed metal ion is eluted from the resin with nitric acid directly into an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In a 0.1 M 1:1 electrolyte, here KNO3, the amount of metal ion sorbed on the resin is directly proportional to the free metal ion concentration in solution over a concentration range of 1.25 to 5 × 10−5 mol/L (12–50 μmol/L). Selectivities for free calcium and magnesium in the presence of complexing ligands such as citrate and phosphate compare well with calculated values.

An ion exchange atomic absorption method for the determination of ionized calcium at millimolar levels

A quantitative ion exchange/atomic absorption method is described for measuring the fraction of free calcium in solution at millimolar levels. Sample solutions are equilibrated with a micro-column of strong-acid type cation-exchange resin under electrolyte concentrations (0.75 mol/L NaNO3) high enough to provide conditions where the calcium sorbed on the resin is proportional to the free calcium in solution. After a water wash, the sorbed calcium is eluted from the resin with nitric acid directly into an atomic absorption spectophotometer. Free calcium levels were estimated using calibration curves obtained over the range 0–5 mM calcium with a precision of ± 0.05 mM. The effect of magnesium, at concentrations twice that of calcium, on measured calcium levels is negligible. The method is pH insensitive over the range 5–7. Selectivity for free calcium in the presence of complexing ligands such as citrate and phosphate is high. The method shows promise for the determination of ionized calcium in biological systems. Key words: ion exchange, atomic absorption, free calcium determination, ion speciation.