High-throughput lipidomics analysis to discover lipid biomarkers and profiles as potential targets for evaluating efficacy of Kai-Xin-San against APP/PS1 transgenic mice based on UPLC–Q/TOF–MS

Lipid metabolism has a significant function in the central nervous system and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related senile disease characterized by central nerve degeneration. The pathological development of AD is closely related to lipid metabolism disorders. To reveal the influence of Kai-Xin-San (KXS) on lipid metabolism in APP/PSI transgenic mice and potential therapeutic targets for treating AD, brain tissue samples were collected and analyzed by high-throughput lipidomics based on UPLC–Q/TOF-MS. The collected raw data were processed by multivariate data analysis to discover the potential biomarkers and lipid metabolic profiles. Compared with the control wild-type mouse group, nine potential lipid biomarkers were found in the AD model group, of which seven were up-regulated and two were down-regulated. Orally administrated KXS can reverse the changes in these potential biomarkers. Compared with the model group, a total of six differential metabolites showed a recovery trend and may be potential targets for KXS to treat AD. This study showed that high-throughput lipidomics can be used to discover the perturbed pathways and lipid biomarkers as potential targets to reveal the therapeutic effects of KXS.     

超高效液相色谱/飞行时间质谱法分析尿液中的代谢物用于区分人类性别的研究

尿中的代谢产物可以反映生命个体的生理状态。为了考察在非严格控制条件下(即对志愿者的饮食、生活方式以及样品采集时间等诸多条件不加以控制)基于尿中代谢物的指纹图谱对男女性别进行区分的可行性,采用超高效液相色谱/飞行时间质谱(UPLC/TOF-MS)联用技术分析了31个随机尿样,并用主成分分析法（PCA）和偏最小二乘法判别分析（PLS-DA）两种数据处理方法对数据进行处理,与PCA法比较,PLS-DA法能提高分类效果,并筛选出4种可能的与性别相关的生物标记物。研究结果表明,UPLC/MS联用技术通量高,数据量丰富;模式识别数据处理方法适合于从大量数据中提取信息,两者的结合有利于代谢组学的研究。     

蟾酥急性毒性的代谢组学研究

本文中,我们运用代谢组学方法结合心电图分析对蟾酥导致的大鼠急性毒性进行了研究,通过超高效液相色谱-飞行时间质谱建立了大鼠血清的代谢指纹谱,采用主成分分析和正交偏最小二乘法判别分析法分析了对照组和各给药组之间的代谢物谱差异,通过变量重要性投影和T检验选取潜在的生物标志物,结合质谱同位素分析、数据库检索以及标准品对潜在生物标志物进行了鉴定。结果表明,蟾酥可导致心脏心率减慢、心律失常、甚至出现心肌梗塞现象,其导致心脏损伤的原因可能是通过阻碍自由脂肪酸再酰化或激活蛋白激酶通路干扰了脂质代谢,这对于阐述蟾酥毒性作用机理提供了新思路。     

Use of ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry with nozzle-skimmer fragmentation for comprehensive quantitative analysis of secondary metabolites in Arabidopsis thaliana

This study sought to develop techniques for LC/MS-based metabolomics and to verify that an MS/MS spectral tag (MS2T) could be used in practical secondary metabolite profiling. The retention time (RT), precursor ions, and fragment ions generated by nozzle-skimmer fragmentation were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/TOF-MS) and compared with the MS2T. A standard mix was analyzed with UPLC/TOF-MS under the same conditions as were used to construct the MS2T. The difference in RT for the standards was less than 0.15 min and the average RSD was about 2.8%, suggesting that the analysis was highly repeatable. Both precursor ions and fragment ions were observed when the cone voltage was 75 V. Experimental data and fragmentation pattern in the MS2T annotation list were highly similar. Wild-type and cas-1 mutant Arabidopsis thaliana samples treated with an elicitor were analyzed using UPLC/TOF-MS. Sixty-five peaks were successfully annotated. Fragment ions were observed with nozzle-skimmer fragmentation in 50 of 65 (77%) peaks. The reliability of annotation may have increased as a result of fragment ions. Results of multivariate analysis suggested that cas-1 was related to induction of the biosynthesis of these flavonoids. The devised method facilitated practical secondary metabolite profiling.     

Nontargeted urine metabolomics analysis of the protective and therapeutic effects of Citri Reticulatae Chachiensis Pericarpium on high-fat feed-induced hyperlipidemia in rats

In this study, we focused on studying the changes in urine metabolites in hyperlipidemic rats using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-fight mass spectrometry (UPLC–Q-TOF/MS) and metabolomics, as well as the effect of Citri Reticulatae Chachiensis Pericarpium (CRCP) on hyperlipidemia. These urine samples were examined by UPLC–Q-TOF/MS to obtain MS data. The MS data were analyzed by principal component analysis and partial least squares-discriminant analysis to identify the differential metabolites. CRCP reduced the body weight and levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and abnormally decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hyperlipidemic rats, which were significantly raised by a high-fat diet. Twenty-seven potential biomarkers were identified within the complex sample matrix of urine. Fourteen biomarkers increased in the hyperlipidemia rats compared with normal rats. Meanwhile, 13 biomarkers decreased. CRCP reversed abnormal changes in biomarkers, including 5-l -glutamyl-taurine, 5-aminopentanoic acid, cis-4-octenedioic acid and 2-octenedioic acid. These biomarkers show that hyperlipidemia is related to the metabolic pathways of taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis , and arginine and proline metabolism . CRCP mainly prevents hyperlipidemia by intervening in these metabolic pathways.     

代谢组学应用于糖肾方治疗糖尿病肾病的疗效评价

建立了基于超高效液相色谱-飞行时间质谱(UPLC/TOF MS)分析技术的血浆代谢指纹谱,应用多元统计分析方法评价糖尿病肾病患者血浆代谢物变化差异及糖肾方的干预效果。通过研究糖肾方干预糖尿病肾病血浆内源性代谢物的变化,探索与该疾病密切相关的代谢途径,评价糖肾方的治疗效果。结果发现: 经糖肾方治疗后,血浆内源性代谢物发生了明显变化,磷脂代谢、脂肪酸代谢、氨基酸代谢、嘌呤嘧啶代谢、固醇类代谢等多个代谢途径得到纠正。本研究基于UPLC/TOF MS的代谢组学方法,能够从整体水平反映疾病治疗过程中代谢网络的变化趋势,证实糖肾方具有治疗糖尿病肾病的临床疗效并有助于阐释药物作用机理。     

大鼠尿液中壬基酚的代谢轮廓

运用代谢组学方法研究了壬基酚对大鼠尿液代谢的影响, 通过高效液相色谱-飞行时间质谱技术建立了大鼠尿样的代谢指纹图谱, 用主成分分析法分析给药组与对照组代谢物指纹图谱的差异, 通过t检验选取潜在的生物标志物及效应标志物, 并结合代谢物数据库检索对其进行鉴定. 结果表明, 壬基酚给药后, 尿液中含量变化显著的成分苯基葡萄糖苷酸、L-高半胱氨酸、3-硝基丙酸、肌酸酐、左旋肉碱及5-羟色胺等构成了大鼠尿液代谢的轮廓, 它们在生物体内的变化可能对生殖系统、免疫系统、神经系统及脂肪的代谢造成一定的影响, 从代谢的角度解释了环境雌激素壬基酚对生物体的危害, 为毒理学研究提供了依据.     

黄芪口服液降低大鼠顺铂毒性作用机制的尿液代谢组学研究

采用基于液相色谱-飞行时间质谱联用(LC-TOF-MS)技术的代谢组学方法,分析大鼠尿液内源性代谢物的变化,研究黄芪口服液(HO)降低大鼠顺铂(CDDP)毒性的作用机制.采用低剂量多次腹腔注射CDDP的方法建立CDDP染毒大鼠模型,并连续给予16天HO.于第18天收集正常对照(Control)组、顺铂模型(CDDP)组和黄芪口服液(HO)组大鼠的24 h尿液, 进行LC-TOF-MS分析,以获取尿液代谢物组数据集,对所得数据进行主成分分析(PCA)和正交偏最小二乘法-判别分析(OPLS-DA)等多元统计分析,以筛选潜在生物标志物.于第20天采集大鼠血清测定肌酐和尿素氮水平.血清指标测定结果表明, HO可以显著降低CDDP染毒大鼠的肌酐和尿素氮水平(p<0.05).PCA得分图显示,3组可分别聚类,HO组位于Control组和CDDP组中间,表明HO可部分改善CDDP所致大鼠尿液代谢产物的异常变化.综合OPLS-DA分析、t检验和倍数变化分析结果,最终共筛选并初步鉴定出35个尿液代谢产物作为HO减毒相关的潜在生物标记物.代谢通路分析结果表明,HO可通过纠正体内氨基酸代谢、能量代谢和核苷酸代谢等通路的紊乱,降低CDDP所致机体毒性.     

超高效液相色谱/飞行时间质谱用于人参皂甙Rg3作用后大鼠尿液代谢物指纹图谱分析及标记物的鉴定

超高效液相色谱技术(UPLC)采用1.7 μm的色谱柱填料,有更好的分离效率、峰容量以及灵敏度;高分辨的时间飞行质谱(TOF-MS)能够测定化合物准确的分子质量并具有MS/MS功能。 两者的联用适合于复杂体系的分离分析和未知物的结构鉴定。 因此建立了一种基于UPLC/TOF-MS测定人参皂甙Rg3给药后大鼠尿液代谢物变化的方法,对其中2种发生显著变化的代谢物分别通过准确的质量测定得到其元素组成,通过MS/MS技术得到其结构信息,并通过检索数据库最终分别鉴定为4,8-二羟喹啉甲酸和4-羟基-2-喹啉酸。     

A metabonomic analysis of urine from rats treated with rhizoma alismatis using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

A metabonomic approach based on ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) was used to study the nephrotoxicity of rhizoma alismatis (RA) in rats. Potential biomarkers of RA toxicity were identified and the toxicological mechanism is discussed. Urine samples were collected from control and treated rats at various stages and analyzed by UPLC/MS in positive ionization mode. Histopathological analysis was used to evaluate renal function. The differences in the metabolic profiles of the control and treated rats were clearly distinguishable with principal components analysis (PCA) of the chromatographic data, and significant changes in 13 metabolite biomarkers were detected in the urine. This metabonomic method combined with PCA could discriminate the treated rats from the control rats on days 60, 120, and 180 after treatment, before serious organic renal damage was apparent on day 180 with histopathology. This research indicates that UPLC/MS‐based metabonomic analysis of urine samples can be used to predict the chronic nephrotoxicity induced by rhizoma alismatis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Therapeutic Effects of Selaginella tamariscina on the Model of Acute Gout with Hyperuricemia in Rats Based on Metabolomics Analysis

Gout is a disease of purine metabolic disorders which results from long‐term hyperuricemia and the sodium urate deposition in and around the joints. Selaginella tamariscina (ST ) is an important traditional Chinese herbal medicine and is used for the treatment of gout and hyperuricemia. In this study, the rat model of acute gout with hyperuricemia was established by intraperitoneal injection of xanthine and oxonic acid potassium salt and articular injection monosodium urate (MSU ). The effect of ST in the treatment of gout was investigated by measuring joint swelling, the expression of IL ‐1β in serum and histological changes of joint by haematoxylin eosin (H&E) staining. Subsequently, urine metabolomics analysis for biomarkers discovery in acute gout with hyperuricemia rats was performed by the ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization quadruple time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UPLC‐ESI‐QTOF /MS ) combined with chemometric approach. Principal component analysis (PCA ) and orthogonal partial least squares‐discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA ) were used to detect potential biomarkers. A total of 18 potential biomarkers were identified mainly including tryptophan metabolism; tyrosine metabolism; lysine methylation; pyrimidine metabolism; purine metabolism; TCA cycle and fatty acid metabolisms. This study indicates that ST could efficiently ameliorate the disease of acute gout with hyperuricemia in rats. The related metabolic biomarkers could provide useful information and the metabolic mechanism could be used for further study about the model of acute gout with hyperuricemia in rats.     

Multiresidue pesticide analysis in ginseng and spinach by nontargeted and targeted screening procedures

Five different mass spectrometers interfaced to GC or LC were evaluated for their application to targeted and nontargeted screening of pesticides in two foods, spinach and ginseng. The five MS systems were capillary GC/MS/MS, GC-high resolution time-of-flight (GC/HR-TOF)-MS, TOF-MS interfaced with a comprehensive multidimensional GC (GCxGC/TOF-MS), an MS/MS ion trap hybrid mass (qTrap) system interfaced with an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph (UPLC-qTrap), and UPLC interfaced to an orbital trap high resolution mass spectrometer (UPLC/Orbitrap HR-MS). Each MS system was tested with spinach and ginseng extracts prepared through a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) procedure. Each matrix was fortified at 10 and 50 ng/g for spinach or 25 and 100 ng/g for ginseng with subsets of 486 pesticides, isomers, and metabolites representing most pesticide classes. HR-TOF-MS was effective in a targeted search for characteristic accurate mass ions and identified 97% of 170 pesticides in ginseng at 25 ng/g. A targeted screen of either ginseng or spinach found 94-95% of pesticides fortified for analysis at 10 ng/g with GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) procedures. Orbitrap-MS successfully found 89% of 177 fortified pesticides in spinach at 25 ng/g using a targeted search of accurate mass pseudomolecular ions in the positive electrospray ionization mode. A comprehensive GCxGC/TOF-MS system provided separation and identification of 342 pesticides and metabolites in a single 32 min acquisition with standards. Only 67 or 81% of the pesticides were identified in ginseng and spinach matrixes at 25 ng/g or 10 ng/g, respectively. MS/MS or qTrap-MS operated in the MRM mode produced the lowest false-negative rates, at 10 ng/g. Improvements to instrumentation, methods, and software are needed for efficient use of nontargeted screens in parallel with triple quadrupole MS.     

Comparison of Different Cartridges of Solid Phase Extraction for Determination of Polyphenols in Tobacco by UPLC/MS/MS and Multivariate Analysis

The comparison of solid phase extraction(SPE) for the preconcentration and isolation of polyphenols in tobacco samples was carried out by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) and multivariate analysis.Several adsorbing materials of SPE(C18,NH2,SAX and OASIS) were investigated.It was found that the C18 and OASIS cartridges can not only speed up the purification process,but also simplify the SPE operation.A UPLC/MS/MS was used for the determination of polyphenols ...     

代谢组学法研究三聚氰胺对儿童尿液代谢的影响

运用代谢组学方法研究了三聚氰胺对儿童尿液代谢的影响.通过超高效液相色谱-飞行时间质谱(UPLC/TOF-MS)法分析儿童尿样的代谢指纹图谱,质谱数据采用MarkerLynx软件处理,然后使用主成分分析和偏最小二乘判别分析法分析病例组和正常对照组之间的代谢物谱差异,并通过变量重要性投影(VIP)选取潜在的生物标志物,结合质谱同位素分析和数据库检索对潜在的生物标志物进行鉴定.结果表明,三聚氰胺通过肾结石导致的物理性损伤干扰了柠檬酸代谢.代谢组学法能够应用于三聚氰胺导致的代谢异常的研究及三聚氰胺导致肾损伤的无创检测.     

Plasma phospholipid metabolic profiling and biomarkers of rats following radiation exposure based on liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry technique

Lipidomics, a prominent area of metabolomics, utilizes novel analytical methodologies to study the extensive classes of lipid molecules, changes in lipid metabolism and lipid‐mediated signaling processes. In this paper, the phospholipid metabolic profiles changes and potential biomarker identification in the rats plasma after γ‐irradiation exposure were investigated by coupling high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry technology to multivariate statistical analysis. Orthogonal partial least‐squares to latent structures discriminate analysis (OPLS‐DA) was used to find the potential plasma phospholipids biomarkers of rats for radiation exposure. According to the corresponding tandem mass spectrometric results, potential biomarkers were identified. After exposure to γ‐rays, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine showed a marked increase, and phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin and lysophosphatidylcholine followed the same trend, although their rise was not significant. The results suggested that radiated rats had a phospholipid metabolic abnormality, which could be an alternative way to assess the radiaton exposure. The biomarkers may involve a radiation‐induced apoptosis pathway and represent a promising target for discovery new radioprotective drugs and radiosensitizers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry based metabolomics of raw and steamed Panax notoginseng

At present, metabolite profiling is of growing importance in herbal medicine fields such as breeding, formulation, quality control and clinical trials. This preliminary study indicated that ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/TOFMS)-based metabolomics allows direct detection of down-stream derivatives of metabolites, arising from the herbal formulation process. This analytical approach allows the discrimination and tentative authentication of unique biomarkers related to different herbal extracts using unsupervised multivariate principal component analysis (PCA). The tentative identification of biomarkers is complemented significantly by the accurate mass measurement of TOFMS and the high resolution and high retention time reproducibility rendered by UPLC. The application of this approach in herbal extract discrimination and ginsenoside biomarker discovery of raw and steamed Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen is demonstrated and discussed.     

Metabolic characterization of the early stage of hepatic fibrosis in rat using GC‐TOF/MS and multivariate data analyses

The aim of this study was to explore the changes in the urine metabolic spectrum in rats with the early stage of liver fibrosis using gas chromatography–time of flight/mass spectrometry (GC‐TOF/MS), try to search for potential biomarkers and elucidate the probably metabonomic pathogenesis. The early stage of liver fibrosis was established with a single subcutaneous injection of carbon tetrachloride twice each week for 4 weeks continuously. At the end of the experiment, GC‐TOF/MS technology with multivariate statistical approaches such as principal component analysis, partial least squares‐discriminant analysis and orthogonal partial least squares‐discriminant analysis was used to analyze the changes in the metabolic spectrum trajectory and identify potential biomarkers. Twelve potential biomarkers in the model group, such as succinic acid, threonine and lactose, were selected, which indicate that the metabonomic pathogenesis of the early stage of liver fibrosis may be related to disorders of energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism and fatty acid metabolism.     

A UPLC‐TOF/MS‐based metabolomics study of rattan stems of Schisandra chinensis effects on Alzheimer's disease rats model

A UPLC‐TOF/MS‐based metabolomics method was established to explore the therapeutic mechanisms of rattan stems of S. chinensis (SCS) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Experimental AD model was induced by intra‐hippocampal Aβ_1–42 injection in rats. Cognitive function and oxidative stress condition in brain of AD rats were assessed using Morris water maze tests and antioxidant assays [malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px)], respectively. UPLC‐TOF/MS combined with multivariate statistical analysis were conducted to study the changes in metabolic networks in serum of rats. The results indicated that the AD model was established successfully and the inducement of Aβ_1–42 caused a decline in spatial learning and memory of rats. The injection of Aβ_1–42 in rat brains significantly elevated the level of MDA, and reduced SOD and GSH‐Px activities. In addition, SCS showed significant anti‐AD effects on model rats. A total of 30 metabolites were finally identified as potential biomarkers of AD and 14 of them had a significant recovery compared with the AD model after SCS administration. Changes in AD metabolite profiling were restored to different levels through the regulation of 13 pathways. This is first report on the use of the UPLC‐TOF/MS‐based serum metabolomics method to investigate therapeutic effects of SCS on AD, and enrich potential biomarkers and metabolic networks of AD.     

Lysophosphatidylcholine—biomarker of Metformin action: studied using UPLC/MS/MS

An UPLC/MS/MS based metabonomic method was developed and applied to the elucidation of biomarker of metformin action. The plasma metabolite profiling in healthy volunteers before and after per os metformin was determined with UPLC/MS/MS and analyzed by using multivariate statistics. Significant difference in endogenous metabolite profiles was revealed before and after administration of metformin. Four biomarkers found were lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs), and their structures were tentatively identified to be 16:0 LPC, 18:0 LPC, 18:1 LPC and 18:2 LPC according to the molecular ions information and corresponding fragments of product ion scan. Lysophosphatidylcholine in blood may be involved in metformin treatment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.