Integrative Molecular Phenotyping
INTEGRATIVE MOLECULAR
PHENOTYPING
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL
BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
WHEELOCK LABORATORY

PubMed

NMR-based metabolomic techniques identify potential urinary biomarkers for early colorectal cancer detection.

Sat, 30/12/2017 - 14:20
Related Articles NMR-based metabolomic techniques identify potential urinary biomarkers for early colorectal cancer detection. Oncotarget. 2017 Dec 01;8(62):105819-105831 Authors: Wang Z, Lin Y, Liang J, Huang Y, Ma C, Liu X, Yang J Abstract Better early detection methods are needed to improve the outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR), a potential non-invasive early tumor detection method, was used to profile urine metabolites from 55 CRC patients and 40 healthy controls (HCs). Pattern recognition through orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was applied to 1H-NMR processed data. Model specificity was confirmed by comparison with esophageal cancers (EC, n=18). Unique metabolomic profiles distinguished all CRC stages from HC urine samples. A total of 16 potential biomarker metabolites were identified in stage I/II CRC, indicating amino acid metabolism, glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, urea cycle, choline metabolism, and gut microflora metabolism pathway disruptions. Metabolite profiles from early stage CRC and EC patients were also clearly distinguishable, suggesting that upper and lower gastrointestinal cancers have different metabolomic profiles. Our study assessed important metabolomic variations in CRC patient urine samples, provided information complementary to that collected from other biofluid-based metabolomics analyses, and elucidated potential underlying metabolic mechanisms driving CRC. Our results support the utility of NMR-based urinary metabolomics fingerprinting in early diagnosis of CRC. PMID: 29285295 [PubMed]

Proteomics and metabolomics for analysis of the dynamics of microbiota.

Sat, 30/12/2017 - 14:20
Related Articles Proteomics and metabolomics for analysis of the dynamics of microbiota. Expert Rev Proteomics. 2017 Dec 28;:1-4 Authors: Van Belkum A, Broadwell D, Lovern D, Petersen L, Weinstock G, Dunne WM PMID: 29284309 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency aggravates energy metabolism disturbance and diastolic dysfunction in diabetic mice.

Sat, 30/12/2017 - 14:20
Related Articles Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency aggravates energy metabolism disturbance and diastolic dysfunction in diabetic mice. J Mol Med (Berl). 2016 Nov;94(11):1229-1240 Authors: Wang C, Fan F, Cao Q, Shen C, Zhu H, Wang P, Zhao X, Sun X, Dong Z, Ma X, Liu X, Han S, Wu C, Zou Y, Hu K, Ge J, Sun A Abstract Diabetes causes energy metabolism disturbance and may lead to cardiac dysfunction. Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) protects cardiac function from myocardial damage. Therefore, understanding of its roles in diabetic heart is critical for developing new therapeutics targeting ALDH2 and mitochondrial function for diabetic hearts. This study investigated the impact of ALDH2 deficiency on diastolic function and energy metabolism in diabetic mice. Diabetes was induced in ALDH2 knockout and wild-type mice by streptozotocin. Cardiac function was determined by echocardiography. Glucose uptake, energy status, and metabolic profiles were used to evaluate cardiac energy metabolism. The association between ALDH2 polymorphism and diabetes was also analyzed in patients. Echocardiography revealed preserved systolic function and impaired diastolic function in diabetic ALDH2-deficient mice. Energy reserves (phosphocreatine/adenosine triphosphate ratio) were reduced in the diabetic mutants and were associated with diastolic dysfunction. Western blot analysis showed that diabetes induces accumulated lipid peroxidation products and escalated AMP-activated protein kinase-LKB1 pathway. Further, ALDH2 deficiency exacerbated the diabetes-induced deficient myocardial glucose uptake and other perturbations of metabolic profiles. Finally, ALDH2 mutations were associated with worse diastolic dysfunction in diabetic patients. Together, our results demonstrate that ALDH2 deficiency and resulting energy metabolism disturbance is a part of pathology of diastolic dysfunction of diabetic hearts, and suggest that patients with ALDH2 mutations are vulnerable to diabetic damage. KEY MESSAGE: ALDH2 deficiency exacerbates diastolic dysfunction in early diabetic hearts. ALDH2 deficiency triggers decompensation of metabolic reserves and energy metabolism disturbances in early diabetic hearts. ALDH2 deficiency potentiates oxidative stress and AMPK phosphorylation induced by diabetes via post-translational regulation of LKB1. Diabetic patients with ALDH2 mutations are predisposed to worse diastolic dysfunction. PMID: 27488451 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Circulating adipocyte-derived extracellular vesicles are novel markers of metabolic stress.

Sat, 30/12/2017 - 14:20
Related Articles Circulating adipocyte-derived extracellular vesicles are novel markers of metabolic stress. J Mol Med (Berl). 2016 Nov;94(11):1241-1253 Authors: Eguchi A, Lazic M, Armando AM, Phillips SA, Katebian R, Maraka S, Quehenberger O, Sears DD, Feldstein AE Abstract We recently reported that stressed adipocytes release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that act as "find-me" signals to promote macrophage migration and activation. In this study, we performed a comprehensive characterization of stressed adipocyte-derived EVs, assessing their antigenic composition, lipidomics, and RNA profiles. Perilipin A was identified as one of the adipose-specific proteins and studied as a potential novel biomarker to detect adipocyte-derived EVs in circulation. Circulating EVs were significantly increased in mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO) and in obese humans with metabolic syndrome compared to lean controls. This increase was associated with decreased glucose tolerance in the DIO mice and metabolic dysfunction, elevated insulin, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the obese humans. EVs from both DIO mice and obese humans were enriched in perilipin A, a central gatekeeper of the adipocyte lipid storehouse and a marker of adipocyte differentiation. In obese humans, circulating levels of EVs enriched in perilipin A were dynamic, decreasing 35 % (p < 0.05) after a 3-month reduced calorie diet intervention. This translational study provides an extensive characterization of adipocyte-derived EVs. The findings identify perilipin A as a novel biomarker of circulating EVs of adipocyte origin and support the development of circulating perilipin A-positive EVs as indicators of adipose tissue health. KEY MESSAGE: • Extensive characterization of 3T3L1 EVs identified perilipin A in their composition. • Circulating EVs are elevated in obese mice and associated with glucose intolerance. • Circulating EVs are elevated in obese human and correlated with metabolic factors. • Perilipin A and EV levels are increased in the circulation of obese mice and human. • Circulating EV and perilipin A levels decrease with low calorie intervention. PMID: 27394413 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in melanoma epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like switching: evidences from patients-derived cell lines.

Sat, 30/12/2017 - 14:20
Related Articles The role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in melanoma epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like switching: evidences from patients-derived cell lines. Oncotarget. 2016 Jul 12;7(28):43295-43314 Authors: Kovacs D, Migliano E, Muscardin L, Silipo V, Catricalà C, Picardo M, Bellei B Abstract Deregulations or mutations of WNT/β-catenin signaling have been associated to both tumour formation and progression. However, contradictory results concerning the role of β-catenin in human melanoma address an open question on its oncogenic nature and prognostic value in this tumour. Changes in WNT signaling pathways have been linked to phenotype switching of melanoma cells between a highly proliferative/non-invasive and a slow proliferative/metastatic condition. We used a novel panel of cell lines isolated from melanoma specimens, at initial passages, to investigate phenotype differences related to the levels and activity of WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. This in vitro cell system revealed a marked heterogeneity that comprises, in some cases, two distinct tumour-derived subpopulations of cells presenting a different activation level and cellular distribution of β-catenin. In cells derived from the same tumor, we demonstrated that the prevalence of LEF1 (high β-catenin expressing cells) or TCF4 (low β-catenin expressing cells) as β-catenin partner for DNA binding, is associated to the expression of two distinct profiles of WNT-responsive genes. Interestingly, melanoma cells expressing relative low level of β-catenin and an invasive markers signature were associated to the TNF-α-induced pro-inflammatory pathway and to the chemotherapy resistance, suggesting that the co-existence of melanoma subpopulations with distinct biological properties could influence the impact of chemo- and immunotherapy. PMID: 27175588 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

A Metabolomic and Lipidomic Serum Signature from Nonhuman Primates Administered with a Promising Radiation Countermeasure, Gamma-Tocotrienol.

Fri, 29/12/2017 - 13:50
Related Articles A Metabolomic and Lipidomic Serum Signature from Nonhuman Primates Administered with a Promising Radiation Countermeasure, Gamma-Tocotrienol. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Dec 28;19(1): Authors: Cheema AK, Mehta KY, Fatanmi OO, Wise SY, Hinzman CP, Wolff J, Singh VK Abstract The development of radiation countermeasures for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) has been underway for the past six decades, leading to the identification of multiple classes of radiation countermeasures. However, to date, only two growth factors (Neupogen and Neulasta) have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for the mitigation of hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS). No radioprotector for ARS has been approved by the FDA yet. Gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) has been demonstrated to have radioprotective efficacy in murine as well as nonhuman primate (NHP) models. Currently, GT3 is under advanced development as a radioprotector that can be administered prior to radiation exposure. We are studying this agent for its safety profile and efficacy using the NHP model. In this study, we analyzed global metabolomic and lipidomic changes using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS) in serum samples of NHPs administered GT3. Our study, using 12 NHPs, demonstrates that alterations in metabolites manifest only 24 h after GT3 administration. Furthermore, metabolic changes are associated with transient increase in the bioavailability of antioxidants, including lactic acid and cholic acid and anti-inflammatory metabolites 3 deoxyvitamin D3, and docosahexaenoic acid. Taken together, our results show that the administration of GT3 to NHPs causes metabolic shifts that would provide an overall advantage to combat radiation injury. This initial assessment also highlights the utility of metabolomics and lipidomics to determine the underlying physiological mechanisms involved in the radioprotective efficacy of GT3. PMID: 29283379 [PubMed - in process]

Metabolism of a sea lamprey pesticide by fish liver enzymes part A: identification and synthesis of TFM metabolites.

Fri, 29/12/2017 - 13:50
Related Articles Metabolism of a sea lamprey pesticide by fish liver enzymes part A: identification and synthesis of TFM metabolites. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2017 Dec 28;: Authors: Bussy U, Chung-Davidson YW, Buchinger T, Li K, Smith SA, Jones AD, Li W Abstract The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a destructive invasive species in the Great Lakes that contributed to the collapse of native fish populations in the mid-1900s. 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) is a selective pesticide that has been applied to sea lamprey infested tributaries of the Great Lakes to kill larvae since the 1960s and has reduced the populations by as much as 90%. However, the metabolism of TFM by sea lamprey and non-target species is not fully illuminated. Elucidation of TFM metabolism is critical for understanding its mode of action and possible environmental impact. Here, we describe the screening, identification, synthesis and structural characterization of TFM metabolites in livers from sea lamprey and three non-target species that differ in their ability to survive TFM exposure. We identified glucuronidation, sulfation, N-acetylation, glutathione conjugation, and aromatic nitro group reduction as potential detoxification mechanisms. Seven metabolites were synthesized for use as markers of TFM metabolism in fish. Quantitative 1H NMR was used to assay synthesized metabolite stock solutions that were then used as standard material to develop a quantitative LC-MS/MS method for TFM metabolites. PMID: 29282500 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Development of Multimarker Diagnostic Models from Metabolomics Analysis for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Fri, 29/12/2017 - 13:50
Related Articles Development of Multimarker Diagnostic Models from Metabolomics Analysis for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2017 Dec 27;: Authors: Hou W, Meng X, Zhao A, Zhao W, Pan J, Tang J, Huang Y, Li H, Jia W, Liu F, Jia W Abstract Although metabolomics are desirable to understand the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), comprehensive metabolomic studies of GDM are rare. We aimed to offer a holistic view of metabolites alteration in GDM patients and investigate the possible multimarker models for GDM diagnosis. Biochemical parameters and perinatal data of 131 GDM cases and 138 controls were collected. Fasting serum samples at 75 g oral glucose tolerance test were used for metabolites by ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry, ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple triple-quadrupole-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography- time-of- flight mass spectrometry platforms. Significant changes were observed in free fatty acids, bile acids, branched chain amino acids, organic acids, lipids and organooxygen compounds between two groups. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, different combinations of candidate biomarkers and metabolites in multimarker models achieved satisfactory discriminative abilities for GDM, with the values of area under the curve (AUC) ranging from 0.721 to 0.751. Model consisting of body mass index (BMI), retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), n-acetylaspartic acid and C16:1 (cis-7) manifested the best discrimination [AUC 0.751 (95% CI: 0.693-0.809), P<0.001], followed by model consisting of BMI, Cystatin C, acetylaspartic acid and 6,7-diketoLCA [AUC 0.749 (95% CI: 0.691-0.808), P<0.001]. Metabolites alteration reflected disorders of glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, bile acid metabolism as well as intestinal flora metabolism in GDM state. Multivariate models combining clinical markers and metabolites have the potential to differentiate GDM subjects from healthy controls. PMID: 29282297 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Metabolomic analyses to evaluate the effect of drought stress on selected African Eggplant accessions.

Fri, 29/12/2017 - 13:50
Related Articles Metabolomic analyses to evaluate the effect of drought stress on selected African Eggplant accessions. J Sci Food Agric. 2018 Jan;98(1):205-216 Authors: Mibei EK, Owino WO, Ambuko J, Giovannoni JJ, Onyango AN Abstract BACKGROUND: Drought stress is one of the main abiotic stresses that affect crops. It leads to biochemical changes that can have adverse effects on plant growth, development and productivity. African eggplants are important vegetable and fruit crops reported to adapt and thrive well under drought stress. The diversified metabolites arising due to stress have not been well defined. A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric metabolomic approach was applied to characterize the effect of drought stress on metabolites at different stages of growth. Nineteen accessions were selected for analysis and drought was imposed by withholding water until soil moisture reached 60% field capacity. Fresh leaf tissues were sampled before stress, 2 and 4 weeks after stress and metabolite profiling done. RESULTS: Significant changes in metabolite content were observed, and potentially important metabolites with respect to stress responses were characterized. Proline, glutamate, sucrose, fructose and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites were shown to be positively correlated with stress. Principal component analysis showed a clear discrimination between the different accessions, growth stages and stress/control conditions. CONCLUSION: The results illustrate that drought stress has a significant impact on the concentrations of some metabolites, such as amino acids, sugars and organic acids, which may contribute to drought stress effects and tolerance. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. PMID: 28573744 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Urothelial MaxiK-activity regulates mucosal and detrusor metabolism.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Urothelial MaxiK-activity regulates mucosal and detrusor metabolism. PLoS One. 2017;12(12):e0189387 Authors: Wang Y, Deng GG, Davies KP Abstract There is increasing evidence for a role of MaxiK potassium channel-activity in regulating the metabolism and intracellular signaling of non-contractile bladder mucosal tissues. At present however no studies have determined the impact of urothelial MaxiK-activity on overall bladder metabolism. To address this we have investigated the effect of bladder lumen instillation of the MaxiK inhibitor, iberiotoxin (IBTX), on mucosal and detrusor metabolism using metabolomics. Since IBTX does not cross plasma membranes, when instilled into the bladder lumen it would only effect urothelially expressed MaxiK-activity. Surprisingly IBTX treatment caused more effect on the metabolome of the detrusor than mucosa (the levels of 17% of detected detrusor metabolites were changed in comparison to 6% of metabolites in mucosal tissue following IBTX treatment). In mucosal tissues, the major effects can be linked to mitochondrial-associated metabolism whereas in detrusor there were additional changes in energy generating pathways (such as glycolysis and the TCA cycle). In the detrusor, changes in metabolism are potentially a result of IBTX effecting MaxiK-linked signaling pathways between the mucosa and detrusor, secondary to changes in physiological activity or a combination of both. Overall we demonstrate that urothelial MaxiK-activity plays a significant role in determining mitochondrially-associated metabolism in mucosal tissues, which effects the metabolism of detrusor tissue. Our work adds further evidence that the urothelium plays a major role in determining overall bladder physiology. Since decreased MaxiK-activity is associated with several bladder pathophysiology's, the changes in mucosal metabolism reported here may represent novel downstream targets for therapeutic interventions. PMID: 29281667 [PubMed - in process]

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Reprogramming from Roots to Haustoria in the Parasitic Plant, Thesium chinense.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Reprogramming from Roots to Haustoria in the Parasitic Plant, Thesium chinense. Plant Cell Physiol. 2017 Dec 20;: Authors: Ichihashi Y, Kusano M, Kobayashi M, Suetsugu K, Yoshida S, Wakatake T, Kumaishi K, Shibata A, Saito K, Shirasu K Abstract Most of plants show remarkable developmental plasticity in the generation of diverse types of new organs upon external stimuli, allowing them to adapt to their environment. Haustorial formation in parasitic plants is an example of such developmental reprogramming, but its molecular mechanism is largely unknown. In this study, we performed field-omics using transcriptomics and metabolomics to profile the molecular switch occurring in haustorial formation of the root parasitic plant, Thesium chinense, collected from its natural habitat. RNA-sequencing with de novo assembly revealed that the transcripts of very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) biosynthesis genes, auxin biosynthesis/signaling-related genes, and lateral root developmental genes are highly abundant in the haustoria. Gene co-expression network analysis identified a network module linking VLCFA and auxin-responsive lateral root development pathway. GC-TOF-MS analysis consistently revealed a unique metabolome profile with many types of fatty acids in the T. chinense root system, including the accumulation of a 25-carbon long chain saturated fatty acid in the haustoria. Our field-omics data provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that the molecular developmental machinery used for lateral root formation in non-parasitic plants has been co-opted into the developmental reprogramming of haustorial formation in the linage of parasitic plants. PMID: 29281058 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Metabolomics and Precision Medicine in Trauma: The State of the Field.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Metabolomics and Precision Medicine in Trauma: The State of the Field. Shock. 2017 Dec 26;: Authors: Jayaraman SP, Anand RJ, DeAntonio JH, Mangino M, Aboutanos MB, Kasirajan V, Ivatury R, Valadka AB, Glushakova O, Hayes RL, Bachmann LM, Brophy GM, Contaifer D, Warncke UO, Brophy DF, Wijesinghe DS Abstract Trauma is a major problem in the United States. Mortality from trauma is the number one cause of death under the age of 45 in the US and is the third leading cause of death for all age groups. There are nearly 200,000 deaths per year due to trauma in the US at a cost of over $671 billion in combined health care costs and lost productivity. Unsurprisingly, trauma accounts for about 30% of all life-years lost in the US. Due to immense development of trauma systems, a large majority of trauma patients survive the injury but then go on to die from complications arising from the injury. These complications are marked by early and significant metabolic changes accompanied by inflammatory responses that lead to progressive organ failure, and ultimately, death. Early resuscitative and surgical interventions followed by close monitoring to identify and rescue treatment failures are key to successful outcomes. Currently, the adequacy of resuscitation is measured using vital signs, noninvasive methods such as bedside echocardiography or stroke volume variation, and other laboratory endpoints of resuscitation, such as lactate and base deficit. However, these methods may be too crude to understand cellular and subcellular changes that may be occurring in trauma patients. Better diagnostic and therapeutic markers are needed to assess the adequacy of interventions and monitor responses at a cellular and subcellular level and inform clinical decision making before complications are clinically apparent. The developing field of metabolomics holds great promise in the identification and application of biochemical markers towards the clinical decision making process. PMID: 29280924 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

A baseline metabolomic signature is associated with immunological CD4+ T-cell recovery after 36 months of ART in HIV-infected patients.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
A baseline metabolomic signature is associated with immunological CD4+ T-cell recovery after 36 months of ART in HIV-infected patients. AIDS. 2017 Dec 26;: Authors: Rodríguez-Gallego E, Gómez J, Pacheco YM, Peraire J, Viladés C, Beltrán-Debón R, Mallol R, López-Dupla M, Veloso S, Alba V, Blanco J, Cañellas N, Rull A, Leal M, Correig X, Domingo P, Vidal F Abstract OBJECTIVES: Poor immunological recovery in treated HIV-infected patients is associated with greater morbidity and mortality. To date, predictive biomarkers of this incomplete immune reconstitution have not been established. We aimed to identify a baseline metabolomic signature associated with a poor immunological recovery after ART in order to envisage the underlying mechanistic pathways that influence the treatment response. DESIGN: This was a multi-centre, prospective cohort study in ART-naïve and a pre-ART low nadir (<200 cells/μl) HIV-infected patients (n = 64). METHODS: We obtained clinical data and metabolomic profiles for each individual, in which low molecular weight metabolites, lipids and lipoproteins (including particle concentrations and sizes) were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Immunological recovery was defined as reaching CD4 T-cell count ≥250 cells/μL after 36 months of virologically successful ART. We used univariate comparisons, Random Forest test and ROC curves to identify and evaluate the predictive factors of immunological recovery after treatment. RESULTS: HIV-infected patients with a baseline metabolic pattern characterized by high levels of large HDL particles, HDL cholesterol and larger sizes of LDL particles had a better immunological recovery after treatment. Conversely, patients with high ratios of non HDL lipoprotein particles did not experience this full recovery. Medium VLDL particles and glucose increased the classification power of the multivariate model despite not showing any significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In HIV-infected patients, a baseline healthier metabolomic profile is related to a better response to ART where the lipoprotein profile, mainly large HDL particles, may play a key role. PMID: 29280761 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Metabolism of a sea lamprey pesticide by fish liver enzymes part B: method development and application in quantification of TFM metabolites formed in vivo.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Related Articles Metabolism of a sea lamprey pesticide by fish liver enzymes part B: method development and application in quantification of TFM metabolites formed in vivo. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2017 Dec 26;: Authors: Bussy U, Chung-Davidson YW, Buchinger T, Li K, Smith SA, Daniel Jones A, Li W Abstract The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a destructive invasive species in the Great Lakes. Since the 1960s, tons of the lampricide 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) has been applied to selected tributaries each year to eliminate or reduce sea lamprey larval populations. Therefore, the environmental impact of TFM needs to be evaluated. However, the metabolism of TFM and its mechanism of selective toxicity in sea lamprey is not yet fully understood. Based upon our previous report on the identification, synthesis, and characterization of TFM metabolites observed in liver incubates from sea lamprey and non-target fishes, we now provide a robust assay for quantifying TFM and its metabolites in fish liver tissue. This method is important for assessing bioaccumulation of TFM in the ecosystems. The compounds purified in our previous report were used to develop and validate a quantitative ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) assay for TFM and TFM metabolites formed in vivo. Several sample preparation techniques were compared, and a protein precipitation method was selected. The unavailability of stable isotopic internal standards was overcome by using a matrix matching method. After a thorough validation, this method was applied to determine the concentrations of TFM and its metabolites in fish liver tissues from animals exposed to TFM, and in the comparison between dead animals and survivors. Seven of eight expected metabolites were observed, some for the first time in vivo. Our results indicate that in vivo nitroreduction, glucuronidation, sulfation, and glutathione conjugation are involved in TFM metabolism in sea lamprey. PMID: 29279987 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The Future of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in an Era of Nonfasting Lipid Testing and Potent Low-Density Lipoprotein Lowering.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Related Articles The Future of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in an Era of Nonfasting Lipid Testing and Potent Low-Density Lipoprotein Lowering. Circulation. 2018 Jan 02;137(1):20-23 Authors: Farukhi Z, Mora S PMID: 29279336 [PubMed - in process]

Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry and chemometrics for high-throughput screening of growth promoters in meat producing animals.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Related Articles Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry and chemometrics for high-throughput screening of growth promoters in meat producing animals. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2017 Dec 26;: Authors: Guitton Y, Dervilly-Pinel G, Jandova R, Stead S, Takats Z, Le Bizec B Abstract In a proof of concept perspective, Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry (REIMS) was explored for the direct analysis of meat samples from β-agonist treated livestock. In this context, the combination of REIMS with untargeted metabolomics was investigated to identify carcasses from treated animals on the basis of a modification of indirect metabolites profile. The REIMS analysis generated specific lipid profiles which enabled the differentiation of meat samples collected from pigs treated with ractopamine via their feeding regime. Furthermore, the strategy was found successful when tested on different muscle types (loin, shoulder and thigh), which further expands its applicability. Classification performances were greater than 95% accurate which fully answers requirements of a screening strategy. This research indicates that REIMS implemented in an untargeted-metabolomics workflow can be considered as a high-throughput and accurate strategy for real-time meat classification in relation to ractopamine (and wider β-agonists) treatment in pig production. This approach may subsequently be implemented as a rapid screening test, at the slaughterhouse or at boarder inspection points, to detect such practice. PMID: 29279042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The classification of almonds (Prunus dulcis) by country and variety using UHPLC-HRMS-based untargeted metabolomics.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Related Articles The classification of almonds (Prunus dulcis) by country and variety using UHPLC-HRMS-based untargeted metabolomics. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2017 Dec 26;: Authors: Gil Solsona R, Boix C, Ibáñez M, Sancho JV Abstract The aim of this study was to use an untargeted UHPLC-HRMS-based metabolomics approach allowing discrimination between almonds based on their origin and variety. Samples were homogenized, extracted with ACN:H2O (80:20) containing 0.1% HCOOH and injected in a UHPLC-QTOF instrument in both positive and negative ionization modes. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to ensure the absence of outliers. Partial least squares - discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was employed to create and validate the models for country (with 5 different compounds) and variety (with 20 features), showing more than 95% accuracy. Additional samples were injected and the model was evaluated with blind samples, with more than 95% of samples being correctly classified using both models. MS/MS experiments were carried out to tentatively elucidate the highlighted marker compounds (pyranosides, peptides or amino acids amongst others). This study has shown the potential of HRMS to perform and validate classification models, also providing information concerning the identification of the unexpected biomarkers which showed the highest discriminant power. PMID: 29279031 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Evidencing 98 secondary metabolites of Penicillium verrucosum using substrate isotopic labeling and high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Related Articles Evidencing 98 secondary metabolites of Penicillium verrucosum using substrate isotopic labeling and high-resolution mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2017 Dec 15;1071:29-43 Authors: Hautbergue T, Puel O, Tadrist S, Meneghetti L, Péan M, Delaforge M, Debrauwer L, Oswald IP, Jamin EL Abstract Industrial applications of fungal compounds, coupled with the emergence of fungal threats to natural ecosystems and public health, have increased interest in filamentous fungi. Among all pathogenic fungi, Penicillium verrucosum is one of the most common mold-infecting stored cereals in temperate regions. However, it is estimated that 80% of fungal secondary metabolites remain unknown. To detect new P. verrucosum compounds, an untargeted metabolomic approach was applied to fungus grown on wheat grains labeled with stable isotopes: (i) natural grains (99% 12C); (ii) grains enriched with 97% of 13C; and (iii) grains enriched with 53% of 13C and 97% of 15N. Analyses performed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) enabled the specific detection of fungal metabolites, and the unambiguous characterization of their chemical formulas. In this way, 98 secondary metabolites were detected and their chemical formulas were determined. Of these, only 18 identifications could be made based on databases, the literature and mass spectrometry fragmentation experiments, with the result that 80 were totally unknown. Molecular networks were generated to analyze these results, leading to the characterization by MSn experiments of a new fungisporin produced by P. verrucosum. More generally, this article provides precise mass spectrometric data about all these compounds for further studies of the Penicillium metabolome. PMID: 28351740 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

From untargeted LC-QTOF analysis to characterisation of opines in abalone adductor muscle: Theory meets practice.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Related Articles From untargeted LC-QTOF analysis to characterisation of opines in abalone adductor muscle: Theory meets practice. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2017 Dec 15;1071:44-48 Authors: Venter L, Jansen van Rensburg PJ, Loots DT, Vosloo A, Lindeque JZ Abstract Abalone have a unique ability to use pyruvate, various amino acids and dehydrogenases, to produce opines as means to prevent the accumulation of NADH during anaerobic conditions. In this study, the theoretical masses, formulae and fragment patterns of butylated opines were used to predict which of these compounds could be found in the abalone adductor muscle using untargeted liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of flight-mass spectrometry. These findings were validated using synthesised opine standards. In essence alanopine, lysopine, strombine and tauropine produced in abalone adductor muscle could be characterised using the highest identification confidence levels. PMID: 28262445 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Staging research of human lung cancer tissues by high-resolution magic angle spinning proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HRMAS 1 H NMR) and multivariate data analysis.

Thu, 28/12/2017 - 13:12
Related Articles Staging research of human lung cancer tissues by high-resolution magic angle spinning proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HRMAS 1 H NMR) and multivariate data analysis. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2017 Oct;13(5):e232-e238 Authors: Chen W, Lu S, Wang G, Chen F, Bai C Abstract AIM: High-resolution magic-angle spinning proton nuclear magnetic resonance (HRMAS 1 H NMR) spectroscopy technique was employed to analyze the metabonomic characterizations of lung cancer tissues in hope to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers for malignancy detection and staging research of lung tissues. METHODS: HRMAS 1 H NMR spectroscopy technique can rapidly provide important information for accurate diagnosis and staging of cancer tissues owing to its noninvasive nature and limited requirement for the samples, and thus has been acknowledged as an excellent tool to investigate tissue metabolism and provide a more realistic insight into the metabonomics of tissues when combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA) such as component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis in particular. RESULTS: HRMAS 1 H NMR spectra displayed the metabonomic differences of 32 lung cancer tissues at the different stages from 32 patients. The significant changes (P < 0.05) of some important metabolites such as lipids, aspartate and choline-containing compounds in cancer tissues at the different stages had been identified. Furthermore, the combination of HRMAS 1 H NMR spectroscopy and MVDA might potentially and precisely provided for a high sensitivity, specificity, prediction accuracy in the positive identification of the staging for the cancer tissues in contrast with the pathological data in clinic. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the potential of metabonomics in clinical settings so that the techniques might be further exploited for the diagnosis and staging prediction of lung cancer in future. PMID: 27670847 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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