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Purpose N-tert-Butoxycarbonylmethamphetamine (BocMA), a masked derivative of methamphetamine (MA), converts into MA under acidic condition and potentially acts as a precursor to MA following ingestion. To investigate the metabolism and excretion of BocMA, metabolism tests were conducted using human liver microsomes (HLM), rat liver microsomes (RLM) and rat. Methods BocMA metabolites were analyzed after 1000-ng/mL BocMA incubation with microsomes for 3, 8, 13, 20, 30, and 60 min. Rats were administered intraperitoneal injections (20 mg/kg) of BocMA and their urine was collected in intervals for 72 h. Metabolites were detected by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with five authentic standards. Results Several metabolites including 4-hydroxy-BocMA, N-tert-butoxycarbonylephedrine and N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-cathinone were detected for HLM and RLM. In the administration test, three glucuronides of hydroxylated metabolites were detected. The total recovery values of BocMA and the metabolites during the first 72 h accounted for only 0.3% of the administered dose. Throughout the microsomal and administration experiments, MAs were not detected. Conclusion Hydroxylation, carbonylation and N-demethylation were proposed as metabolic pathways. However, BocMA and phase I metabolites were hardly detected in urine. This study provides useful information to interpret the possibility of BocMA intake as the cause of MA detection in biological sample.

In order to investigate the incorporation behavior of drugs into hair in early stage (within 24 h) after intake, time-course changes in drug distribution in black hair were carefully analyzed after a single oral administration of methoxyphenamine (MOP), a non-regulated analog of methamphetamine. Single-hair specimens collected by plucking with the roots intact at appropriate intervals post-intake were each divided into 1-mm segments from the proximal end, and MOP in each segment was determined by a validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry procedure. At 10 min after intake, MOP was not detected in any of the segments. MOP became detectable 30 min after intake in the hair bulb (0–1-mm segment from the proximal end) and 1 h after intake in the upper dermis zone (1–2-mm to 4–5-mm segments). The amount of MOP in the hair bulb increased rapidly over 3 h after intake and reached a maximum concentration of ∼100–900 pg/1-mm single hair (11–95 ng/mg) around 3–10 h after intake, whereas that in the upper dermis zone increased at a more gradual pace over 24 h and reached a plateau at ∼30–100 pg/1-mm hair (3–11 ng/mg). These differences can be attributed to the different incorporation mechanisms of the drug. Results from this study can further elucidate the drug incorporation mechanism, which is crucial for accurately interpreting results in hair analyses. Our findings also suggest that hair drug analysis with special attention to the hair root can serve as a useful complementary approach to urine- and blood-based testing in the field of forensic toxicology.

Various cathinone-derived designer drugs (CATs) have recently appeared on the drug market. This study examined the mechanism for the generation of dehydrated ions for CATs during electrospray ionization collision-induced dissociation (ESI-CID). The generation mechanism of dehydrated ions is dependent on the amine classification in the cathinone skeleton, which is used in the identification of CATs. The two hydrogen atoms eliminated during the dehydration of cathinone (primary amine) and methcathinone (secondary amine) were determined, and the reaction mechanism was elucidated through the deuterium labeling experiments. The hydrogen atom bonded to the amine nitrogen was eliminated with the proton added during ESI, in both of the tested compounds. This provided evidence that CATs with tertiary amine structures (such as dimethylcathinone and α-pyrrolidinophenones [α-PPs]) do not undergo dehydration. However, it was shown that the two major tertiary amine metabolites (1-OH and 2″-oxo) of CATs generate dehydrated ions in ESI-CID. The dehydration mechanisms of the metabolites of α-pyrrolidinobutiophenone (α-PBP) belongs to α-PPs were also investigated. Stable-isotope labeling showed the dehydration of the 1-OH metabolite following a simple mechanism where the hydroxy group was eliminated together with the proton added during ESI. In contrast, the dehydration mechanism of the 2″-oxo metabolite involved hydrogen atoms in three or more locations along with the carbonyl group oxygen, indicating that dehydration occurred via multiple mechanisms likely including the rearrangement reaction of hydrogen atoms. These findings presented herein indicate that the dehydrated ions in ESI-CID can be used for the structural identification of CATs.

The influence of lipophilicity and functional groups of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) on their blood concentrations and urinary excretion has been studied by analyzing blood and urine specimens sampled from drivers who were involved in a car crashes under the influence of SCs. A total of 58 specimens (26 urine and 31 blood specimens), sampled within 13h of the occurrence, were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Fifteen SCs were detected in those specimens; the SCs detected were categorized as follows: Class 1, Naphthoyl/Benzoyl indole (EAM2201 and three other analogs); Class 2, Indole-3-carboxylate/carboxamide containing naphthol/quinol (5F-PB-22 and four other analogs); and Class 3, Indazole-3-carboxamide containing valine/tert-leucine derivative (5F-AMB and five other analogs). The calculated lipophilicity index log P, the octanol/water participation coefficient, of those SCs in Classes 1, 2, and 3 ranged between 5.01-8.14, 5.80-6.74 and 2.29-3.81, respectively. Class 3 SCs were detectable in 12 out of 13 urine specimens, but those in Classes 1 and 2 were not detected in urine. Our analytical results indicated that the boundary line for their detectability in urine lies between log P 4 and 5. The blood concentrations of Class 3 SCs varied widely (0.0036-31ng/ml) depending on their log P, while much smaller variation was observed among those in Class 2 (0.10-5.0ng/ml).

In order to investigate the influence of pigmentation on the incorporation of drugs into hair, time-course changes in drug distribution along non-pigmented (white) hairs as well as pigmented (black) hairs plucked from the same subject was observed following single administrations of two basic drugs with different properties, zolpidem and methoxyphenamine. These drugs in 1-mm sections of single hair specimens were each determined by a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometric procedure. During the early stage (12–36 h) after intake, for black hairs, both drugs were detected over the entire area of hair root (4–5 mm in length), in which notable concentration of these drugs in the hair bulb (0–1-mm segment from the bottom of hair root, Region 1) and lower concentrations in the upper dermis zone (1–2-mm to 3–4-mm or to 4–5-mm segments, Region 2) were commonly observed. Meanwhile, for white hairs, high drug concentrations in Region 1 as detected in black hairs were not observed although only small amounts of these drugs were detected over Region 2. Subsequent time-course changes in the concentration of drugs in hair demonstrated that the drugs once incorporated into white hair via Region 2 decreased gradually over the period from 24 h to 35 days after intake, but those of black hairs remained almost unchanged. These findings revealed here suggest that hair pigments have two important roles in the distribution of drugs: (1) incorporation of drugs into hair via Region 1, and (2) retention of already incorporated drugs in the hair tissue. These findings would be useful for discussing individual drug-use history based on hair analysis in the forensic fields.

1-Phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)octan-1-one (PV9) and 16 metabolites, including diastereomers and conjugates, were identified or tentatively detected in human urine by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. These urinary metabolites indicated that the metabolic pathways of PV9 include: (1) the reduction of ketone groups to their corresponding alcohols; (2) oxidation of the pyrrolidine ring to the corresponding pyrrolidone; (3) aliphatic oxidation of the terminal carbon atom to the corresponding carboxylate form, possibly through an alcohol intermediate (not detected); and (4) hydroxylation at the penultimate carbon atom to the corresponding alcohols followed by further oxidation to ketones, and combinations of these steps. In addition, results from the quantitative analyses of five phase-I metabolites using newly synthesized authentic standards suggested that the main metabolic pathway includes the aliphatic oxidation of terminal and/or penultimate carbons. Human metabolism of PV9 differed significantly from those of α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone and α-pyrrolidinobutiophenone, suggesting that the main metabolic pathways of α-pyrrolidinophenones significantly change depending on the alkyl chain length of the parent molecule.

While apoptosis has been considered to be identical to programmed cell death, necroptosis, which is morphologically related to necrosis, has emerged as a novel type of programmed cell death. Necroptosis depends on two structurally related kinases, receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase (RIPK)1 and RIPK3. RIPK1 is activated through oligomerization of upstream adaptor molecules such as Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) and TNF receptor-associated death domain (TRADD) that are triggered by TNFα or Fas ligand. Activated RIPK1 subsequently interacts with and activates RIPK3, resulting in necroptosis. However, contribution of oxidative stress to execution of necroptosis is still controversial. We found that a selective inhibitor for RIPK1, necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) significantly blocked TNFα-induced cell death and ROS accumulation in NF-κB activation-deficient cells. This suggests that these cells mostly died by necroptosis upon TNFα stimulation. Intriguingly, an antioxidant, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) blocked TNFα-induced necroptosis and ROS accumulation in NF-κB activation-deficient cells. However, Nec-1, but not BHA, inhibited TNFα-induced phosphorylation of RIPK1 in these cells, suggesting that ROS play a crucial role in execution of necroptosis downstream of RIPK1 activation. Structural and functional analyses using BHA related compounds revealed that both tert-butyl and hydroxy groups of BHA are crucial for its anti-necroptotic function. Together, these results suggest that TNFα-induced necroptosis is tightly associated with oxidative stress, and oxidative stress is induced downstream of RIPK1 activation.

Sulfhydration by a hydrogen sulfide anion and electrophile thiolation by reactive sulfur species (RSS) such as persulfides/polysulfides (e.g., R-S-SH/R-S-Sn-H(R)) are unique reactions in electrophilic signaling. Using 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene-4-thioacetate (1,2-NQH2-SAc) as a precursor to 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene-4-thiol (1,2-NQH2-SH) and a generator of reactive oxygen species (ROS), we demonstrate that protein thiols can be modified by a reactive sulfenic acid to form disulfide adducts that undergo rapid cleavage in the presence of glutathione (GSH). As expected, 1,2-NQH2-SAc is rapidly hydrolyzed and partially oxidized to yield 1,2-NQ-SH, resulting in a redox cycling reaction that produces ROS through a chemical disproportionation reaction. The sulfenic acid forms of 1,2-NQ-SH and 1,2-NQH2-SH were detected by derivatization experiments with dimedone. 1,2-NQH2-SOH modified Keap1 at Cys171 to produce a Keap1-S-S-1,2-NQH2 adduct. Subsequent exposure of A431 cells to 1,2-NQ or 1,2-NQH2-SAc caused an extensive chemical modification of cellular proteins in both cases. Protein adduction by 1,2-NQ through a thio ether (C-S-C) bond slowly declined through a GSH-dependent S-transarylation reaction, whereas that originating from 1,2-NQH2-SAc through a disulfide (C-S-S-C) bond was rapidly restored to the free protein thiol in the cells. Under these conditions, 1,2-NQH2-SAc activated Nrf2 and upregulated its target genes, which were enhanced by pretreatment with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), to deplete cellular GSH. Pretreatment of catalase conjugated with poly(ethylene glycol) suppressed Nrf2 activation by 1,2-NQH2-SAc. These results suggest that RSS-mediated reversible electrophilic signaling takes place through sulfenic acids formation under oxidative stress.

Urinary phase I metabolites of α-pyrrolidinobutiophenone (α-PBP) in humans were investigated by analyzing urine specimens obtained from drug abusers. Unequivocal identification and accurate quantification of major metabolites were realized using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with newly synthesized authentic standards. Two major phase I metabolic pathways were revealed: (1) reduction of the ketone group to 1-phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)butan-1-ol (OH-α-PBP, diastereomers) partly followed by conjugation to its glucuronide and (2) oxidation at the 2″-position of the pyrrolidine ring to α-(2″-oxo-pyrrolidino)butiophenone (2″-oxo-α-PBP) via the putative intermediate α-(2″-hydroxypyrrolidino)butiophenone (2″-OH-α-PBP). Of the phase I metabolites retaining the structural characteristics of the parent drug, OH-α-PBP was the most abundant in all specimens examined. Comparison of the phase I metabolism of α-PBP and α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP) suggested a relationship between the aliphatic side chain length and the metabolic pathways in α-pyrrolidinophenones: the shorter aliphatic side chain (1) led to more extensive metabolism via reduction of the ketone group than via the oxidation at the 2″-position of the pyrrolidine ring and (2) influenced the isomeric ratio of a pair of diastereomers.

Covalent modification of cellular proteins by electrophiles affects electrophilic signal transduction and the dysfunction of enzymes that is involved in cytotoxicity. We have recently found a unique reaction which restores glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) that has been modified by 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ) through a glutathione (GSH)-dependent S-transarylation reaction. We report here that ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) undergoes the same reaction. Exposure of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells to 1,2-NQ after pretreatment with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) to deplete GSH resulted in an enhancement of covalent modification of UCH-L1 by 1,2-NQ. With recombinant human UCH-L1, we demonstrated that UCH-L1 underwent arylation by 1,2-NQ through Cys152 and Lys4, thereby decreasing its catalytic activity. Addition of GSH to an incubation mixture of 1,2-NQ-UCH-L1 adduct partially restored this decline in enzyme activity which was accompanied by decreased covalent attachment of 1,2-NQ, together with production of 1,2-NQ-GSH adduct. UCH-L1 in which Lys4 was mutated exhibited a lower level of covalent modification and enzyme inhibition, but completely recovered after addition of GSH. Taken together, these results suggest that Cys152 modification in UCH-L1 by 1,2-NQ is reversible via GSH-mediated S-transarylation reaction whereas Lys4 modification by 1,2-NQ is irreversible by GSH. Because UCH-L1 dysfunction has been associated with neurodegeneration, the electrophilic modification of Lys rather than Cys in UCH-L1 may be implicated in such neurodegenerative diseases.

Many cellular proteins with reactive thiols form covalent bonds with electrophiles, thereby modifying their structures and activities. Here, we describe the recovery of a glycolytic protein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), from such an electrophilic attack by 1,2-napthoquinone (1,2-NQ). GAPDH readily formed a covalent bond with 1,2-NQ through Cys152 at a low concentration (0.2 μM) in a cell-free system, but when human epithelial A549 cells were exposed to this quinone at 20 μM, only minimal binding was observed although extensive binding to numerous other cellular proteins occurred. Depletion of cellular glutathione (GSH) with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) resulted in some covalent modification of cellular GAPDH by 1,2-NQ and a significant reduction of GAPDH activity in the cells. Incubation of native, but not boiled, human GAPDH that had been modified by 1,2-NQ with GSH resulted in a concentration-dependent removal of 1,2-NQ from the GAPDH conjugate, accompanied by partial recovery of lost catalytic activity and formation of a 1,2-NQ-GSH adduct (1,2-NQ-SG). While GAPDH is recognized as a multifunctional protein, our results show that GAPDH also has a unique ability to recover from electrophilic modification by 1,2-NQ through a GSH-dependent S-transarylation reaction.