Simultaneous quantification of urinary purines and creatinine by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet spectroscopy and quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry: Method development,validation, and application to gout study

We present an ultra high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet spectroscopy and quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of ten purines (adenine, hypoxanthine, guanine, xanthine, deoxyadenosine, adenosine, inosine, guanosine, xanthosine, and uric acid) and creatinine in human urine. After chromatographic separation on an ACE Excel 2 AQ column, high abundant creatinine and uric acid and the other low abundant purines were sequentially detected by ultraviolet and quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry within a single run. Method validations including specificity (improved by accurate mass measurement), linearity (correlation coefficients ≥0.9944), limit of quantification (0.002–9.756 µg/mL), intra‐ and interday precision (relative standard deviations ≤9.1 and 14.0%, respectively), accuracy (relative errors ≤13.1%), extraction recovery (between 90.3 and 109.6%), matrix effect (between 85.3 and 110.5%), and stability (relative errors ≤14.3%) were fully evaluated. This approach was applied to characterize the disordered purine metabolism in acute and chronic gout as an example. Quantitative results (normalized by creatinine) showed that an overproduction of urinary purine precursors might be involved in the gout process. The developed method represents a useful tool to investigate the purine disturbances in gout and other relevant diseases.     

Determination of concentrations of adenosine and other purines in human term placenta by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection: evidence for pathways of purine metabolism in the placenta.

A robust analytical method, using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with gradient elution and photodiode-array detection, was used to measure six purines and beta-NAD+ in acid-soluble extracts of samples taken from six different regions of human term placenta. Resolution of the analyte peaks in chromatographic profiles of the extracts, and the use of optimized integration, allowed simultaneous quantitation of all seven analytes from a single chromatogram. Peak purity was confirmed via on-line analysis of peak spectra, utilizing the purity parameter treatment of spectral data. Major placental purines were adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine and adenine. Except for adenine, concentrations of the purines varied by two-fold or more between different regions of each placenta, but concentration ratios, i.e., adenosine/inosine and inosine/hypoxanthine, were similar. The findings indicate that the pathway of ATP breakdown to hypoxanthine in ischemic human term placenta is via adenosine, and that regional differences in placental concentrations of adenosine and its metabolites may result from regional differences in degree of ischemia.     

Development and validation of an RP-HPLC method for the estimation of adenosine and related purines in brain tissues of rats

A new, rapid and sensitive RP-HPLC method with UV spectrophotometric detection was developed and validated for the concomitant estimation of adenosine and related purines in rat brain tissue preparations. The HPLC system consisted of C-18 column with UV-photodiode-array detection ranging from 210 to 400 nm, facilitating the online confirmation of peak purity. The column temperature was maintained at 30 degrees C and the injection volume was 20 muL. Elution with an isocratic mobile phase consisting of water/methanol/acetonitrile (88:5:7 by volume) at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min yielded sharp, utmost-resolved peaks of adenosine (Ade), inosine (Ino), hypoxanthine (Hypoxan) and adenine (Adn) within 10 min. The method was validated with respect to the linearity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, selectivity and stability. The method was also employed to estimate the naturally occurring purines in discrete regions of rat brain. A new protocol developed for tissue preparation utilizing H(2)SO(4) and Tris buffer gave well-resolved peaks and high component recoveries (>96%) which eliminated the need of an internal standard. The results show that the method for the determination of Ade, Ino, Hypoxan and Adn by RP-HPLC described here has good linearity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, selectivity and is simple and rapid to perform.     

The determinatin of purines in fresh and sea water by cathodic stripping voltammetry after complexation with copper(I)

Nanomolar levels of the purines, guanine, hypoxanthine, xanthine and adenine, in aqueous solution can be determined by cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV). After the sample has been brought to pH 8.5 and made 150 nM with respect to copper(II), the Cu(I) complex of purine is adsorbed on a hanging mercury drop electrode. After depositionfor 60 s, sthe complex is stripped from the electrode and the peak current corresponding with the reduction of Cu(I) to Cu(O) is measured. The limits of detection are 0.2 nM for guanine, 0.3 nM for hypoxanthine and adenine, and 1.0nM for xanthine; these can be lowered further by extending the adsorption time prior to the scan.     

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for comprehensive determination of metabolites in the purine pathway of rat plasma and its application in anti-gout effects of Lycium ruthenicum Murr.

It has been proved that purine metabolites are implicated in various biological syndromes and disorders. Therefore, the realization of panoramic detection of purine metabolites will be of great significance to the pathogenesis of purine metabolic disorders. In the present study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the comprehensive quantification of purine metabolites in rat plasma. The 17 purine metabolites were separated and quantified in the short running time of 15 min. The proposed method was strictly validated by applying SeraSub solution as a matrix and proved to be linear (R² ≥ 0.9944), accurate (the recoveries of all analytes ranged from 85.3% to 103.0%, with relative standard deviation values ≤ 9.3%), and precise (the intra- and inter-day precisions were less than 10.8% and 12.4%, respectively). The method was then successfully applied to the qualification of the endogenous purine metabolites in acute gouty arthritis rats, as well as colchicine and anthocyanin-intervened rats. Results showed that uric acid, xanthine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine were considered the key factors of acute gouty arthritis. The established method and measurement of purines in rat plasma might help the investigation of the action mechanisms between purine disorders and related diseases.     

A Selective Determination of Hypoxanthine,Xanthine and Inosine by Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Enzyme Reactors

Abstract

A Selective and sensitive assay of hypoxyanthine, xanthine and inosine by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with immobilized enzyme reactors is described. The flourometric detection of hydrogen peroxide using immobilized peroxidase and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid was applied to the assay of hypoxanthine, xanthine and inosine, which were oxidized to hydrogen peroxide in the presence of the immobilized enzymes (purine nucleoside phosphorylase and/or xanthine oxidase. The enzymes were immobilized the the intermolecular cross-linking method on controlled pore-glass. The method established was applied to serum and urine samples. The detection limits of hypoxanthine, xanthine and inosine were approximately 130, 300 and 650 pg per injection, respectively.     

Voltammetric studies of purine bases and purine nucleosides with copper

Anodic stripping voltammetry with a hanging mercury drop electrode has been used to investigate the interaction of cooper with the purines adenine, hypoxanthine, xanthine and purine nucleosides adenosine, guanosine and inosine at an ionic strength of 0.1 M in KNO₃ and in the pH range 3.5–5.5. In all cases stabilisation of copper(I) occurs suggesting that the oxidation of copper(0) in the presence of excess ligand proceeds in two one-electron steps.Adsorption onto the electrode has been analysed and conditions where this is negligible were chosen for complexation studies. From the shift of the peak potential corresponding to Cu(0)/Cu(I) oxidation with increasing ligand concentration the stoichiometry of the complexes and their formation constants have been determined. The values obtained are discussed in terms of the ligand structure.     

Electrochemistry and Simultaneous Detection of Metabolites of Purine Nucleotide Based on Large Mesoporous Carbon Modified Electrode

A large mesoporous carbon modified glassy carbon electrode (LMC/GCE) was prepared. The morphology and structure of the LMC were characterized. The LMC/GCE was used to investigate the electrochemical behaviors of metabolites of purine nucleotide, uric acid (UA), xanthine (XA) and hypoxanthine (HX). The LMC/GCE exhibited high electrocatalytic activity towards the three compounds when compared with those obtained at the GCE. Furthermore, the LMC/GCE realized simultaneous determination of UA, XA and HX at a physiological pH of 7.0 with wide linear range and low detection limit. The electrocatalytic activity of the LMC/GCE towards guanine (G) and adenine (A) was also investigated.     

A Multiple Enzyme Method for Maasurement of K,Na ATPase

Abstract

A multiple enzyme method for spectrophotometrical measurement of K, Na ATPase activity is described. The method includes three enzymatic steps: Hydrolyses of ATP by ATPase, conversion of inosine to hypoxanthine and ribose -1- phosphate by purine nucleoside phosphorylase and finally xanthine oxidase mediated oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine with consequent formation of formazan from a tetrazolium salt. The phospholytic cleavage of inosine in the medium is dependent of an ATPase- phosphate complex.     

Reverse Phase HPLC For Rapid,Comprehensive Measurement of Nucleotides,Nucleosides and Bases of The Myocardial Adenine Pool

Abstract

A novel reverse phase HPLC method is described for the simultaneous measurement of adenosine tri-, di- and monophosphates (ATP, ADP, AMP), inosine monophosphate (IMP), adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and uric acid in cardiac tissues and coronary effluent. The use of a simplified perchloric acid extraction procedure and ODS columns easily modified with Mq⁺⁺, Tris and phosphate buffer, allows considerable saving in analysis time together with extremely good resolution, particularly for ATP and ADP, and provides a very practical tool for the routine assessment of changes in adenine pool metabolites.     

Estimation of adenosine and its major metabolites in brain tissues of rats using high-performance thin-layer chromatography-densitometry

A new, rapid and sensitive high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method with densitometry was developed and validated for the concomitant estimation of purines like adenosine (Ade) and its major metabolites, inosine (Ino) and hypoxanthine (Hypoxan) in rat brain tissue preparations. The HPTLC method was chosen in order to generate better resolution and evade the tedious and prolonged sample preparation methods necessarily performed with HPLC methods when analyzing biological samples. In this method the planar chromatography was executed on aluminum plates pre-coated with silica gel 60 F(254). Elution was performed with a two-step gradient mobile phase consisting of solvent A [n-butanol/water/acetonitrile/10% ammonia solution/glacial acetic acid (5:2:4:1:0.5, v/v)] and solvent B [n-butanol/chloroform/acetonitrile/10% ammonia solution/glacial acetic acid (5:4:2:1:0.5, v/v)]. The quantitative analysis of purines was performed based on the peak areas obtained from the reflectance scanning densitometry, performed at 258nm. The spectral scan was done from 200 to 300nm which facilitated the spectral analysis of peaks for purity and spectral matching. The method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, selectivity and repeatability. The method was successfully employed to estimate the endogenous purines in discrete regions of rat brain. A novel protocol developed for the tissue preparation utilizing 0.1M HCl and 0.15M NaOH solutions made in 60% (v/v) methanol resulted in well-resolved peaks and high component recoveries. The results for the first time show that this method established for the flexible estimation of Ade, Ino and Hypoxan by planar chromatography has good linearity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, selectivity and is simple, rapid and moreover, economical to produce maximum resolution in brain tissue preparations.     

Nafion-CNT coated carbon-fiber microelectrodes for enhanced detection of adenosine

Adenosine is a neuromodulator that regulates neurotransmission. Adenosine can be monitored using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at carbon-fiber microelectrodes and ATP is a possible interferent in vivo because the electroactive moiety, adenine, is the same for both molecules. In this study, we investigated carbon-fiber microelectrodes coated with Nafion and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to enhance the sensitivity of adenosine and decrease interference by ATP. Electrodes coated in 0.05 mg mL(-1) CNTs in Nafion had a 4.2 ± 0.2 fold increase in current for adenosine, twice as large as for Nafion alone. Nafion-CNT electrodes were 6 times more sensitive to adenosine than ATP. The Nafion-CNT coating did not slow the temporal response of the electrode. Comparing different purine bases shows that the presence of an amine group enhances sensitivity and that purines with carbonyl groups, such as guanine and hypoxanthine, do not have as great an enhancement after Nafion-CNT coating. The ribose group provides additional sensitivity enhancement for adenosine over adenine. The Nafion-CNT modified electrodes exhibited significantly more current for adenosine than ATP in brain slices. Therefore, Nafion-CNT modified electrodes are useful for sensitive, selective detection of adenosine in biological samples.     

Microchip capillary electrophoresis with a boron-doped diamond electrode for rapid separation and detection of purines

Microchip capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode has been employed for the separation and detection of several purines and purine-containing compounds. The BDD end-channel amperometric detector offers favorable signal-to-noise (S/N) characteristics at the high detection potential (+ 1.3 V) essential for detecting purine-related compounds. Factors influencing the separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. Five purines (guanine, hypoxanthine, guanosine, xanthine, and uric acid) have been separated within 6 min at a separation voltage of 1000V using a borate/phosphate run buffer (pH 8.2). Linear calibration plots are observed for micromolar concentrations of the purine compounds. Good stability and reproducibility (R.S.D. < 5%) are obtained reflecting the minimal adsorption of purines at the BDD surface. Applicability for the detection of nucleosides, nucleotides, and oligonucleotides is illustrated. The new microchip protocol offers great promise for a wide range of bioanalytical applications involving assays of purines and purine-containing compounds.     

High-sensitivity capillary electrophoresis method for monitoring purine nucleoside phosphorylase and adenosine deaminase reactions by a reversed electrode polarity switching mode

A simple, efficient, and highly sensitive in-line CE method was developed for the characterization and for inhibition studies of the nucleoside-metabolizing enzymes purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) present in membrane preparations of human 1539 melanoma cells. After filling the running buffer (50 mM borate buffer, 100 mM SDS, pH 9.10) into a fused-silica capillary (50 cm effective length × 75 μm), a large sample volume was loaded by hydrodynamic injection (5 psi, 36 s), followed by the removal of the large plug of sample matrix from the capillary using polarity switching (-20 kV). The current was monitored and the polarity was reversed when 95% of the current had been recovered. The separation of the neutral analytes (nucleosides and nucleobases) was performed by applying a voltage of 15 kV. An about 10-fold improvement of sensitivity for the five investigated analytes (adenosine, inosine, adenine, hypoxanthine, xanthine) was achieved by large-volume stacking with polarity switching when compared with CE without stacking. For inosine and adenine detection limits as low as 60 nM were achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest sensitivity for nucleoside and nucleobase analysis using CE with UV detection reported so far. The Michaelis-Menten constants (K(m)) for PNP and ADA and the inhibition constants (K(i)) for standard inhibitors determined with the new method were consistent with literature data.     

Measurement of adenosine, inosine and hypoxanthine in human term placenta by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

An analytical method was developed for measuring adenosine, inosine and hypoxanthine in freshly delivered human term placentas. Representative freeze-clamped samples were taken from the sub-maternal surface of each placenta. Acid-soluble extracts of the samples were analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on columns packed with 10-micron porous octadecylsilica, using gradient elution with a linear increase in methanol concentration in ammonium phosphate buffer. Resolution of hypoxanthine from xanthine and adenosine from adenine, and quantitation of hypoxanthine and adenosine were achieved using 0.05 M ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 6.5, as the low-strength eluent. Resolution of inosine from a prominent peak of beta-NAD was optimized using 0.02 M ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 5.6, as low-strength eluent. Recovery of standards was greater than 90%. Mean contents (+/- S.D.) of the analytes in placentas from seven normal deliveries were, adenosine 30.6 +/- 11.5 nmol/g, inosine 68.0 +/- 25.8 nmol/g and hypoxanthine 217 +/- 127.5 nmol/g.     

Simultaneous determination of allantoin, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid in serum/plasma by CE

Allantoin (All) is an oxidative end product of purines in mammals. The small amount of All present in human plasma or serum results from free radical action on urate and may provide a stable marker of in vivo free radical activity. Because free radicals have been implicated in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, this study focused on the metabolic compounds of the All pathway. We propose a new fast CE (CE/UV) method for the simultaneous determination of All, uric acid (UA), hypoxanthine (HX), and xanthine (X) in human plasma. These products were quantified in the plasma of patients with chronic renal failure before hemodialysis (n = 6), patients with chronic heart failure (n = 6) and controls (n = 6). The filtered plasma were diluted ten-fold before the direct injection in CE/UV (195 nm), which allows separating the four compounds in less than 13 min. The metabolites were detectable at concentrations of 0.3-0.6 micromol/L. The method was linear over the range 0.5-150 micromol/L for All, HX, and X and 10-1500 micromol/L for UA (r > 0.99). The analytical performance of this method is satisfactory with intra-assay CV < 3.4%, inter-assay CV < 5% (HX and X < 7%), and recovery (93-101%). The proposed CE-UV method appears to be a useful tool for studying physiological and pathological changes of HX, UA, and All levels in plasma samples, the latter being a possible indicator of free radical damage in vivo.     

Determination of purine nucleosides and their bases by high-performance liquid chromatography using co-immobilized enzyme reactors

A selective and sensitive assay of inosine, guanosine, hypoxanthine, guanine and xanthine by high-performance liquid chromatography with immobilized enzyme reactors was developed. The separation was achieved on a Capcell Pak C18 column (15 cm x 0.46 cm I.D.) with a mobile phase of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) containing 7 mM sodium 1-hexanesulphonate and 0.1 mM p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. The fluorimetric detection of hydrogen peroxide using immobilized peroxidase and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid was applied to the assay of these compounds, which were oxidized to yield hydrogen peroxide in the presence of immobilized enzyme (purine nucleoside phosphorylase, guanase and xanthine oxidase). Enzyme reactions occurred sufficiently without post-column addition of reagents. Enzymes that catalysed the conversion of purine compounds were co-immobilized on aminopropyl controlled-pore glass packed in stainless-steel tubing. The detection limits were 30-200 pg per injection.     

Simultaneous LC–UV–MS–MS Analysis of Nine Pivotal Metabolites in Human Serum: Application to Studies of Impaired Glucose Tolerance

A rapid, sensitive, and selective LC–UV–MS–MS method for simultaneous quantification of uric acid, creatinine, xanthine, creatine, hypoxanthine, adenosine, inosine, thymidine, and uridine in serum from patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) has been developed and validated. After precipitation of protein in the serum with methanol samples were evaporated with a stream of nitrogen then reconstituted with aqueous ammonia (0.002 mol L^?1). Chromatographic separation was performed on a C₁₈ column with methanol–buffer (8 mmol L^?1 ammonium acetate adjusted to pH 6.1 with glacial acetic acid) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.8 mL min^?1. UV and MS–MS detection were used to quantify the metabolites on the basis of different concentrations and detector response. Linearity was excellent, with r ² no <0.998. Recovery, and intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation (RSD) were >85, <10, and <10%, respectively. This reliable bioanalytical method enables evaluation of the levels of purines and pyrimidines in serum for IGT studies and diagnosis.     

Low-potential amperometric determination of purine derivatives through surface oxide regeneration method

This article described a novel amperometry which can be used for determination of purine derivatives including uric acid, xanthine, hypoxanthine, guanine, and adenine without surface contamination. By applying a constant potential of −0.125 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in a flow injection system, the chelating capability of these purine derivatives converts the cuprous oxide layer into a soluble complex. This behavior would dissolve the passive oxide layer and expose the bottom copper layer to the solution, subsequently; an oxidation current which attributed to the regeneration of the original cuprous oxide layer is used to reflect the concentration of these purine derivatives. In a 50 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, this approach provides a high sensitivity with LOQ of sub-micro molar level of five purines and high stability with a RSD of 2.5% for 10 μM xanthine (N = 12). This method does not suffer from most biological species including ascorbic acid, acetaminophen, creatine, dopamine, sarcosine, ammonium ion, chloride ion, and urea at equal or higher than its physiological concentration.     

Isocratic separation of some purine nucleotide, nucleoside, and base metabolites from biological extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Separation of ATP, ADP, AMP, adenine, adenosine, cAMP, ITP, IDP, IMP, hypoxanthine, inosine, cIMP, the guanine series, NAD, NADPH, xanthine, 3-methylxanthine, theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine was accomplished using high-performance liquid chromatography with a microparticulate reversed-phase column. Under isocratic conditions all compounds could be eluted with reasonable resolution and retention time. Quantitation by peak height for several of the compounds was used to the 10-ng level.