Simultaneous analysis of mitotane and its main metabolites in human blood and urine samples by SPE-HPLC technique

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy with an incompletely understood pathogenesis and a poor prognosis. The adrenalytic activity of mitotane has made it the most important single drug in the treatment of ACC. Unfortunately, the exact mechanism of mitotane action is still unknown. It is believed that mitotane belongs to the class of drugs that require metabolic transformation by cytochrome P450 for therapeutic action; therefore determination of plasma levels of not only mitotane but also its metabolites would help in carrying out the treatment. The objective of this work was to develop and validate an SPE‐HPLC method for simultaneous determination of mitotane and its metabolites in different biological fluids. The sample preparation consisted of a solid‐phase extraction on a Discovery DSC₁₈ cartridge, while analysis of extracts was performed on a Symmetry C₁₈ column. The usefulness of the proposed method was confirmed by analysis of plasma, red cell and urine samples from patient chronically treated with 1.5 g of mitotane. The patient involved in this study had a high plasma concentration of mitotane and none of the investigated metabolites were found. In order to investigate whether the polymorphism of CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 enzymes could be related to the metabolism of mitotane, RT‐PCR analysis was performed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interaction of a Rhodococcus sp. trehalose lipid biosurfactant with model proteins: thermodynamic and structural changes

One major application of surfactants is to prevent aggregation during various processes of protein manipulation. In this work, a bacterial trehalose lipid (TL) with biosurfactant activity, secreted by Rhodococcus sp., has been identified and purified. The interactions of this glycolipid with selected model proteins have been studied by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and fluorescence spectroscopy. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome c (Cyt-c) have been chosen because of their quite different secondary structures: BSA contains essentially no β-sheets and an average 66% α-helix, whereas Cyt-c possesses up to 25% β-sheets and up to 45% α-helical structure. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that addition of TL to BSA at concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (cmc) shifts the thermal unfolding temperature to higher values. FTIR indicates that TL does not alter the secondary structure of native BSA, but the presence of TL protects the protein toward thermal denaturation, mainly by avoiding formation of β-aggregates. Studies on the intrinsic Trp fluorescence of BSA show that addition of TL to the native protein results in conformational changes. BSA unfolding upon thermal denaturation in the absence of TL makes the Trp residues less accessible to the quencher, as shown by a decrease in the value of Stern-Volmer dynamic quenching constant, whereas denaturation in the presence of the biosurfactant prevents unfolding, in agreement with FTIR results. In the case of Cyt-c, interaction with TL gives rise to a new thermal denaturation transition, as observed by DSC, at temperatures below that of the native protein, therefore facilitating thermal unfolding. Binding of TL to native BSA and Cyt-c, as determined by ITC, suggests a rather nonspecific interaction of the biosurfactant with both proteins. FTIR indicates that TL slightly modifies the secondary structure of native Cyt-c, but protein denaturation in the presence of TL results in a higher proportion of β-aggregates than in its absence (20% vs 3.9%). The study of Trp fluorescence upon TL addition to Cyt-c results in a completely opposite scenario to that described above for BSA. In this case, addition of TL considerably increases the value of the dynamic quenching constant, both in native and denatured protein; that is, the interaction with the glycolipid induces conformational changes which facilitate the exposure of Trp residues to the quencher. Considering the structures of both proteins, it could be derived that the characteristics of TL interactions, either promoting or avoiding thermal unfolding, are highly dependent on the protein secondary structure. Our results also suggest the rather unspecific nature of these interactions. These might well involve protein hydrophobic domains which, being buried into the protein native structures, become exposed upon thermal unfolding.     

Coenzyme Regeneration in Hexanol Oxidation Catalyzed by Alcohol Dehydrogenase

The enzymatic ways of coenzyme regeneration include the addition of a second enzyme to the system or the addition of the co-substrate. In the present study, both methods of enzymatic coenzyme (NAD⁺) regeneration were studied and compared in the reaction of hexanol oxidation catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). As a source of ADH, commercial isolated enzyme and the whole baker??s yeast cells were used. First, coenzyme regeneration was employed in the reaction of acetaldehyde reduction catalyzed by the same enzyme that catalyzed the main reaction, and then NAD⁺ regeneration was applied in the reaction of pyruvate reduction catalyzed by l-lactate dehydrogenase (l-LDH). Hexanal was obtained as the product of hexanol oxidation catalyzed by isolated ADH while hexaonic acid was detected as a product of the same reaction catalyzed by baker??s yeast cells. All of the used biocatalysts were kinetically characterized. The mass reactions were described by the mathematical models. All models were validated in the batch reactor. One hundred percent hexanol conversion was obtained using permeabilized yeast cells using both methods of cofactor regeneration. By using isolated enzyme ADH, the higher conversion was achieved in a system with cofactor regeneration catalyzed by l-LDH.     

Identification of isomeric spin adducts of Leu-Tyr and Tyr-Leu free radicals using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Free radical species are generally short-lived due to their high reactivity and thus direct measurement and identification are often impossible. In this study we used a spin trap, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), to trap radical intermediates formed during the oxidation of isomeric dipeptides tyrosine-leucine (Tyr-Leu) and leucine-tyrosine (Leu-Tyr), induced by the hydroxyl radical. To investigate the influence of the amino acid position in the peptide chain on the oxidation and free radical generation, the spin adducts were characterized using LC-MS and MS(n) . We detected carbon and oxygen DMPO adducts and adducts bearing two DMPO, which were analyzed by MS(n) . Both alkoxyl and peroxyl radicals were identified. Radical intermediates were localized in Tyr during oxidation of Tyr-Leu, while radicals were identified in Leu and Tyr during oxidation of Leu-Tyr. DMPO adducts of acyl radical species formed from cleavage of the peptide backbone, promoted by the alkoxyl radical in α carbon of the N-terminal amino acid were observed. The results show that the amino acid position has an influence in the oxidation process, at least on small peptides, and that the α carbon of the N-terminal amino acid is more vulnerable to the attack of the electrophilic hydroxyl radical.     

Simultaneous quantification of morphine and cocaine in hair samples from drug addicts by GC-EI/MS

The development of analytical techniques that enable the use of hair as an alternative matrix for the analysis of drugs of abuse is useful for confirming the exposure in a larger time window (weeks to months, depending on the length of the hair shaft). In the present study a methodology aimed at the simultaneous quantification of cocaine and morphine in human hair was developed and validated. After decontamination, hair samples (20?mg) were incubated with a mixture of methanol/hydrochloric acid (2:1) at 65?°C overnight (~16?h) in order to extract the drugs of the matrix. Purification was performed by solid-phase extraction using mixed-mode extraction cartridges. After derivatization with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide, blank, standards and samples were analyzed by gas chromatography/electron impact-mass spectrometry (GC-EI/MS). The method proved to be selective, as there were no interferences of endogenous compounds with the same retention time as cocaine, morphine and ethylmorphine (internal standard). The regression analysis for both analytes showed linearity in the range 0.25-10.00?ng/mg with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9989 to 0.9991. The coefficients of variation oscillated between 0.83 and 14.60%. The limits of detection were 0.01 and 0.02?ng/mg, and the limits of quantification were 0.03 and 0.06?ng/mg for cocaine and morphine, respectively. The proposed GC-EI/MS method provided an accurate and simple assay with adequate precision and recovery for the quantification of cocaine and morphine in hair samples. The proof of applicability was performed in hair samples obtained from drug addicts enrolled in a Regional Detoxification Treatment Center. The importance of hair samples is highlighted, since positives results were obtained when urine immunoassay analyses were negative. Copyright ? 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-valent oxo-molybdenum and oxo-rhenium complexes as efficient catalysts for X-H (X = Si, B, P and H) bond activation and for organic reductions

High-valent oxo-complexes have recently emerged as powerful catalysts for the activation of X-H (X = Si, B, P and H) bonds and for the reduction of several functional groups. This new reactivity represents a complete reversal from the traditional role of these complexes as oxidation catalysts and opened a new research area for high-valent oxo-complexes. This tutorial review highlights the work developed using high-valent oxo-molybdenum and oxo-rhenium complexes as excellent catalysts for X-H (X = Si, B, P and H) bond activation and for organic reductions.     

Ionic and radical adsorption on the Au(hkl) surfaces: A DFT study

Adsorption of several ionic and non-ionic species (OH^?, O, O^?, O^2?, H, H⁺ and H^?) on the low-index Miller Au(hkl) surfaces has been investigated by means of density functional theory based methods. The stability order for adsorptions on the three surfaces decreases with the increasing of the coordination number of the outermost gold atoms in each surface, i.e., Au(110) > Au(100) > Au(111), which is in agreement with the experimental evidences. The detailed COOPs analysis of the various adsorption sites for all adsorbates in the surface with the most stable adsorption(s), Au(110), evidenced that adsorption in the gold surfaces may be a function of particle size and charge and substantiates the variability in the order of preferences sites for the adsorption of the different species found in these low-index Miller Au(hkl) surfaces. This variability increases with the increasing of the stability of the adsorptions on the gold surfaces, i.e., the Au(110) presents more variability in the order of preferences sites for the adsorption of different species.     

Preparation of Organometallic Ruthenium–Arene–Diaminotriazine Complexes as Binding Agents to DNA

The reactions of two diaminotriazine ligands 2,4‐diamino‐6‐(2‐pyridyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine (2‐pydaT) and 6‐phenyl‐2,4‐diamino‐1,3,5‐triazine (PhdaT) with ruthenium–arene precursors led to a new family of ruthenium(II) compounds that were spectroscopically characterized. Four of the complexes were cationic, with the general formula [(η⁶‐arene)Ru(κ²‐N,N‐2‐pydaT)Cl]X (X=BF₄, TsO; arene=p‐cymene: 1.BF4 , 1.TsO arene=benzene: 2.BF4 , 2.TsO ). The neutral cyclometalated complex [(η⁶‐p‐cymene)Ru(κ²‐C,N‐PhdaT*)Cl] ( 3 ) was also isolated. The structures of complexes 2.BF4 and 3.H2O were determined by X‐ray diffraction. Complex 1.BF4 underwent a partial reversible‐aquation process in water. UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopic measurements showed that the reaction was hindered by the addition of NaCl and was pH‐controlled in acidic solution. At pH 7.0 (sodium cacodylate) Ru–Cl complex 1.BF4 was the only species present in solution, even at low ionic strength. However, in alkaline medium (KOH), complex 1.BF4 underwent basic hydrolysis to afford a Ru–OH complex ( 5 ). Fluorimetric studies revealed that the interaction of complex 1.BF4 with DNA was not straightforward; instead, its main features were closely linked to ionic strength and to the [DNA]/complex ratio. The bifunctional complex 1.BF4 was capable of interacting concurrently through both its p‐cymene and 2‐pydaT groups. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies showed that, contrary to the expected behavior, the complex species was biologically inactive; the formation of a Ru–OH complex could be responsible for such behavior.