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Currently, mass spectrometry-based protein bioanalysis is primarily achieved through monitoring the representative peptide(s) resulting from analyte protein digestion. However, this approach is often incapable of differentiating the measurement of protein analyte from its post-translational modifications (PTMs) and/or potential biotransformation (BTX) products. This disadvantage can be overcome by direct measurement of the intact protein analytes. Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) on triple quadrupole mass spectrometers has been used for the direct measurement of intact protein. However, the fragmentation efficiency though the SRM process could be limited in many cases, especially for high molecular weight proteins. In this study, we present a new strategy of intact protein bioanalysis by high-resolution (HR) full scan mass spectrometry using human lysozyme as a model protein. An HR linear ion-trap/Orbitrap mass spectrometer was used for detection. A composite of isotopic peaks from one or multiple charge states can be isolated from the background and used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The acquired data were processed by summing extracted ion chromatograms (EIC) of the 10 most intense isotopic ions of octuply protonated lysozyme. Quantitation of the plasma lysozyme was conducted by utilizing high resolving power and an EIC window fitting to the protein molecular weight. An assay with a linear dynamic range from 0.5 to 500 μg/mL was developed with good accuracy and precision. The assay was successfully employed for monitoring the level of endogenous lysozyme and a potential PTM in human plasma. The current instrumentation limitations and potential advantages of this approach for the bioanalysis of large proteins are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioactivation of ticlopidine, a widely used antiplatelet drug, into reactive metabolites and their subsequent covalent binding to cellular macromolecules are thought to be involved in the occurrence of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity in patients. In the present study, GSH/stable isotope-labeled GSH was used as the trapping agent to investigate the bioactivation pathways of ticlopidine in rat liver microsomes. The samples were analyzed by high-resolution linear ion trap/Orbitrap followed by multiple mass defect filtering (MDF). In total, 17 GSH adducts were detected, and a comprehensive profile for ticlopidine bioactivation has been proposed. The results show that ticlopidine can be directly bioactivated by rat P450s, forming GSH adducts through two major bioactivation pathways, thiophene-S-oxidation and thiophene epoxidation. These adducts were also formed substantially in human liver microsomes. Moreover, ticlopidine can be metabolized via multiple pathways before giving rise to reactive intermediates. The GSH adducts derived from epoxidation of the chlorophenyl moiety of ticlopide and bioactivation of N-dealkylated metabolites are reported here for the first time. The formation of a number of ticlopidine GSH adducts from diversified metabolic pathways mediated by P450s implies a high potential for protein binding and provides a conceivable link between the high reactivity of ticlopidine after bioactivation and the ticlopidine-induced toxicity. Additionally, the current approach has the following advantages as compared to previous high-resolution LC/MS methodologies. First, novel MDF utilized doubly charged ions as filter templates to detect the GSH adducts, mainly doubly charged in the ion source, resulting in broader detection coverage. Second, multiple mass defect filter templates were for the first time applied to reveal different classes of GSH adducts. Finally, a quick check of isotopic doublets and full examination of isotope fingerprints in the accurate mass were introduced to screen out false positives and enhance the identification of low abundant GSH adducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of DNA base sequence context on the removal of a bulky benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-guanine adduct, (+)-trans-B[a]P-N2-dG (G*), by UvrABC nuclease from the thermophilic organism Bacillus caldotenax was investigated. The lesion was flanked by either T or C in otherwise identical complementary 43-mer duplexes (TG*T or CG*C, respectively). It was reported earlier that in the CG*C context, a dominant minor groove adduct structure was observed by NMR methods with all Watson-Crick base pairs intact, and the duplex exhibited a rigid bend. In contrast, in the TG*T context, a highly flexible bend was observed, base pairing at G*, and two 5′-base pairs flanking the adduct were impaired, and multiple solvent-accessible adduct conformations were observed. The TG*T-43-mer duplexes are incised with consistently greater efficiency by UvrABC proteins from B. caldotenax by a factor of 2.3 ± 0.3. The rates of incisions increase with increasing temperature and are characterized by linear Arrhenius plots with activation energies of 27.0 ± 1.5 and 23.4 ± 1.0 kcal/mol for CG*C and TG*T duplexes, respectively. These values reflect the thermophilic characteristics of the UVrABC nuclease complex and the contributions of the different DNA substrates to the overall activation energies. These effects are consistent with base sequence context-dependent differences in structural disorder engendered by a loss of local base stacking interactions and Watson—Crick base pairing in the immediate vicinity of the lesions in the TG*T duplexes. The local weakening of base pairing interactions constitutes a recognition element of the UvrABC nucleotide excision repair apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is substantial evidence to suggest that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzoapyrene (BaP) induce lung cancer through metabolic activation. As part of a program to delineate the routes of PAH activation, we have examined DNA adducts that are formed in human lung cells. A stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography/multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry method was used to quantify eight anti-7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-BaP (BaPDE)-derived DNA adducts in four H358 human bronchoalveolar cell lines with different phenotypes. In P450 1A1/P450 1B1-induced H358 cells exposed to (±)-BaP-7,8-dihydro-7,8-diol (BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol), ()-anti-trans-BaPDE−N2-2‘-deoxyguanosine ()-anti-trans-BaPDE−N2-dGuo was the major DNA adduct, and it formed with no lag phase. In AKR1A1-transfected H358 cells, ()-anti-trans-BaPDE−N2-dGuo was also the major adduct with a 3 h lag phase before significant adduct formation was detected. In AKR1A1-transfected H358 cells with induced P450 1A1/P450 1B1, ()-anti-trans-BaPDE−N2-dGuo was formed with no lag phase in amounts similar to those in the H358 cells with up-regulated P450 1A1/P450 1B1. Surprisingly, the greatest amount of ()-anti-trans-BaPDE−N2-dGuo was formed in the control H358 cells. Furthermore, ()-anti-trans-BaPDE−N2-dGuo formation was 2-fold higher in (−)-BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol-exposed H358 cells when compared with (±)-BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol-exposed cells. The P450 1A1/1B1 inhibitor 2,4,3‘,5‘-tetramethoxystilbene did not attenuate DNA adduct formation in the control H358 cells, suggesting that another P450 was responsible. These data raise the intriguing possibility that P450 1A1/P450 1B1 and AKR1A1 may be protective against ()-BaPDE-mediated DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the base sequence effects in bending induced by bulky carcinogen-DNA adducts. Details on the molecular dynamics simulation; Estimation on the extent of global bending using sequence-specific three-dimensional model; Synthesis of different oligonucleotides.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, is an important agricultural pest that severely damages cruciferous vegetables. Although previously considered a threat only to Brassica species, P. xylostella has been observed to feed on noncruciferous vegetables. Here, we established a population of P. xylostella on the pea Pisum sativum (PxP population). We compared this PxP population's performance on the pea host plant to a population (PxR) reared on the original host plant radish (Raphanus sativus) for several generations using an age-stage, two-sex life table and analyzed the correlations between different fitness parameters. In the 1st generation of the PxP population, survival rate of immature stage was 17%, while the survival rate of PxR was 68%; the duration of the 4th larval instar (5.30 d) and mortality (25%) of this generation were significantly longer (2.8 d) and higher (1%) than that of PxR, respectively (both p < .001). Upon long-term acclimation, the PxP fitness improved significantly, especially that the survival rate of immature stages increased to approximately 60% in the 15th, 30th, and 45th generations. However, PxP feeding on pea exhibited poorer fitness with longer larval developmental time, shorter total life span, lighter pupa, and lower fecundity in different generations compared with PxP feeding on radish. PxP feeding on pea also showed a significantly lower intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproduction rate (R0), finite increase rate (λ), and longer mean generation time (T) than PxP feeding on radish in all generations tested. Significant positive correlations were observed between pupal weight and female fecundity in pea-fed populations, and between female longevity and female fecundity in pea-fed and radish-fed populations. Our findings suggest that P. xylostella adaptation to pea does not improve overall fitness compared with the original host radish, making pea a marginal host for P. xylostella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, is an important agricultural pest that severely damages cruciferous vegetables. Although previously considered a threat only to Brassica species, P. xylostella has been observed to feed on noncruciferous vegetables. Here, we established a population of P. xylostella on the pea Pisum sativum (PxP population). We compared this PxP population's performance on the pea host plant to a population (PxR) reared on the original host plant radish (Raphanus sativus) for several generations using an age-stage, two-sex life table and analyzed the correlations between different fitness parameters. In the 1st generation of the PxP population, survival rate of immature stage was 17%, while the survival rate of PxR was 68%; the duration of the 4th larval instar (5.30 d) and mortality (25%) of this generation were significantly longer (2.8 d) and higher (1%) than that of PxR, respectively (both p < .001). Upon long-term acclimation, the PxP fitness improved significantly, especially that the survival rate of immature stages increased to approximately 60% in the 15th, 30th, and 45th generations. However, PxP feeding on pea exhibited poorer fitness with longer larval developmental time, shorter total life span, lighter pupa, and lower fecundity in different generations compared with PxP feeding on radish. PxP feeding on pea also showed a significantly lower intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproduction rate (R0), finite increase rate (λ), and longer mean generation time (T) than PxP feeding on radish in all generations tested. Significant positive correlations were observed between pupal weight and female fecundity in pea-fed populations, and between female longevity and female fecundity in pea-fed and radish-fed populations. Our findings suggest that P. xylostella adaptation to pea does not improve overall fitness compared with the original host radish, making pea a marginal host for P. xylostella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study describes a novel integrated approach for rapid analysis of reactive metabolites with a linear ion trap mass spectrometer (LTQ). In this approach, an isotope pattern-dependent scanning method was applied to the data acquisition of glutathione (GSH)-trapped reactive metabolites. Recorded full-scan MS and MS/MS data sets were further processed with neutral loss filtering, product ion filtering, and extracted ion chromatographic analysis to search for protonated molecules and MS/MS spectra of GSH adducts. To evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of the approach, GSH adducts of carbamazepine, diclofenac, 4-ethylphenol, acetaminophen, p-cresol, and omeprazole were analyzed, which were formed in human liver microsome incubations fortified with a mixture of nonlabeled GSH and stable isotope-labeled GSH at a 1:0.8 ratio. Results demonstrate that the combination of the isotope pattern-dependent scanning with the postacquisition data mining was very effective in detecting low levels of GSH adducts, regardless of their fragmentation patterns. As compared to a neutral loss scanning method performed with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, the LTQ-based approach had several major advantages, including the superior selectivity and sensitivity in detecting different classes of GSH adducts and the higher throughput capability of the detection and MS/MS spectral acquisition of GSH adducts in a single LC/MS run. Overall, this analytical approach provides a simple and efficient means for screening for reactive metabolites using a linear ion trap LC/MS platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are major environmental carcinogens produced in the combustion of fossil fuels, tobacco, and other organic matter. Current evidence indicates that PAHs are transformed enzymatically to active metabolites that react with DNA to form adducts that result in mutations. Three activation pathways have been proposed: the diol epoxide path, the radical-cation path, and the quinone path. The latter involves aldo-keto reductase mediated oxidation of PAH dihydrodiol metabolites to catechols that enter into redox cycles with quinones. This results in generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that attack DNA, and the PAH quinones also react with DNA to form adducts. Several strategies for synthesis of the stable adducts formed by the o-quinone metabolites of carcinogenic PAHs with 2′- deoxyribonucleosides were investigated and compared. The PAH quinones studied were benz[alanthracene- 3,4-dione and its 7-methyl- and 7,12-dimethyl- derivatives. The parent PAHs represent a range of carcinogenicity from inactive to highly potent. Two synthetic methods were devised that differ in the catalyst employed, Pd(OAc)2 or Cul. The Pd-mediated method involved coupling a protected amino- catechol PAH derivative with a halo-2′-deoxyribonucleoside. The copper-mediated method entailed reaction of a halo-PAH catechol derivative with a 2′-deoxyribonucleoside. Adducts of benz[a]anthracene-3,4- dione (and its 7-methyl- and 7,12-dimethyl- derivatives) with 2′-deoxyadenosine and 2′-deoxyguanosine were prepared by these methods. Availability of adducts of these types through synthesis makes possible for the first time biological studies to determine the role of these adducts in tumorigenesis. The copper- mediated method offers advantages of economy, adaptability to large-scale preparation, utility for synthesis of 13C- or 15N-labeled analogues, and nonformation. of bis-adducts as secondary products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]