Oxidation chemistry and biochemistry of some biologically important purines and indoleamines

The electrochemical oxidation of 7-methyluric acid and 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT) in aqueous solutions has been studied. The oxidation products have been separated and characterized using melting point, mass, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and spectral studies, and tentative mechanisms for the oxidation have been suggested. One of the oxidation products of 5,6-DHT, i.e. 2,7′-bi(5,6-DHT), has been found to produce a substantial neurotoxic effect in mice brain.     

Mechanism of autoxidation of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine: effect of fluorine substitution at positions 4 and/or 6

Analogs of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT), namely, 4-fluoro-, 6-fluoro-, and 4,6-difluoro-5,7-DHT's (30a-c) were synthesized starting from 4-fluorophenol (7a), 4-fluorobenzyl alcohol (12) and 2,4-difluorophenol (7b), respectively. Regiospecific hydroxylation and formylation ortho to fluoro groups, both via aryllithium intermediates, were made possible by the blocking effect of tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy functions and allowed the conversion of the starting materials to the key intermediates, namely, 3,5-bis(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-2-fluoro-, 4-fluoro- and 2,4-difluorobenzaldehydes (11a, b and 19, respectively). The latter were converted in one step to the corresponding benzyloxybenzaldehydes, from which indole-2-carboxylates 22a-c were synthesized via azidostyrenes 21a-c, respectively. Decarbonylation of the indole-2-carboxaldehydes (24a-c) produced from 22a-c in two steps gave 2,3-unsubstituted indoles 25a-c, respectively. Introduction of the aminoethyl side chains on C-3 of 25a-c via the corresponding indole-3-acetonitriles, and subsequent debenzylation generated the hydroxytryptamines, which were isolated as their creatinine sulfate salts 30a-c, respectively. Cyclic voltammetric studies indicated that like 5,7-DHT, 30a-c undergo electrochemical oxidation in 1 M H2SO4 via the corresponding p-quinoneimine derivatives 31a-c by an electrochemical-chemical-electrochemical (ECE) process. The voltammetrically detectable products of the ECE process appear to be the corresponding 5-hydroxytryptamine-4,7-dione (6) derivatives 33a-c. The nature of the interaction of dissolved O2 with 30a-c at pH 7.4 appears to be strikingly different from that of 5,7-DHT, which undergoes autoxidation at pH 7.4 via the 4-hydroperoxy derivative 4 to the quinone 6.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Simple HPLC-EC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Biogenic Amines and Their Main Metabolites in Small Rat Brain Regions

Abstract

A simple and reliable procedure for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and their acidic metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 5-hydroxy indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection has been developed. Minimal sample preparation is required before injection into the liquid chromatograph. The present method can be applied to the analysis of several rat brain regions. The procedure offers good possibilities for routine analysis of biogenic amines and their acidic metabolites in the picogram range.     

鼠脑组织中6-羟基-1-甲基-1,2,3,4-四氢-β-咔啉及其相关生物胺的高效液相色谱-电化学检测

建立了大鼠脑组织中6-羟基-1-甲基-1,2,3,4-四氢-β-咔啉(6-OH-MTHβC)、5-羟色胺(5-HT)和5-羟吲哚乙酸(5-HIAA)含量的高效液相色谱-库仑阵列电化学检测(HPLC-ECD)方法。采用的色谱柱为DiscoveryHS F5柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm),流动相为缓冲液（40 mmol/L柠檬酸+20 mmol/L磷酸氢二钠+0.3 mmol/L乙二胺四乙酸二钠,pH 4.0）-甲醇（体积比为78∶22）混合液,流速为1 mL/min。6-OH-MTHβC、5-HT、5-HIAA在1.0～500.0 μg/L范围内线性关系良好(r>0.9992),检出限分别为0.56,0.26,0.53 μg/L,日内和日间精密度(以相对标准偏差表示)均低于6.1%,回收率分别为87.1%～98.2%,87.0%～95.3%,90.1%～97.7%。用该方法检测新生7 d的SD胎鼠脑内6-OH-MTHβC及5-HT、5-HIAA的含量,发现SD胎鼠在急性酒精中毒8 h后6-OH-MTHβC显著上升(P<0.05);而5-HT和5-HIAA的含量有所下降,但无显著性差异。该法简便、稳定、灵敏度高,适用于测定鼠脑组织中6-OH-MTHβC和5-HT,5-HIAA含量的相关研究。     

Determination of 3-hydroxykynurenine in human brain and plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Increased concentrations in hepatic encephalopathy

A simple and specific method was developed for the determination of 3-hydroxykynurenine in brain tissue and blood plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. This involved an extraction procedure using strong cation-exchange columns and also permitted the determination of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid in brain tissue. The method was applied to the investigation of post mortem brain tissue from patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Cortical 3-hydroxykynurenine concentrations were substantially increased in such patients above control values, providing evidence for a dysfunction of tryptophan metabolism in this disease.     

Label-free Electrochemical Aptasensor for the Determination of Serotonin

A label-free electrochemical aptasensor was fabricated for the determination of serotonin (5-HT) by the employment of specific binding between 5-HT and aptamer and directly electrochemical measurement of 5-HT oxidation. The comparison between two aptasensors and two strategies was studied. An electrochemical aptasensor fabricated using 57-mer aptamer was facilely used to determine 5-HT in the range from 1 μM to 100 μM with detection limit of 0.3 μM via one step recognition and detection. This work demonstrates that electrochemical method combing aptamer recognition and 5-HT oxidation provides an alternative and promising method for the determination of 5-HT with good selectivity and simplicity.     

Highly selective electrochemical method for the detection of serotonin at carbon fiber microelectrode modified with gold nanoflowers and overoxidized polypyrrole

A gold nanoflowers and overoxidized polypyrrole modified carbon fiber microelectrode (OPPy/Au NFs/CFME) was fabricated using electroless deposition and electrochemical method for highly selective and sensitive detection of 5-HT.     

Highly selective electrochemical method for the detection of serotonin at carbon fiber microelectrode modified with gold nanoflowers and overoxidized polypyrrole

A highly selective and sensitive electrochemical method was developed for the detection of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) at gold nanoflowers (Au NFs) and overoxidized polypyrrole (OPPy) modified carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME). Carbon fiber was firstly modified with gold nanoflowers using electroless deposition method, and then modified with overoxidized polypyrrole using electrochemical polymerization and overoxidization to obtain OPPy/Au NFs/CFME. The obtained OPPy/Au NFs/CFME was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques. It was found that the OPPy/Au NFs/CFME showed good sensitivity for the detection of 5-HT in the range of 10 nmol/L − 7.0 μmol/L with detection limit of 2.3 nmol/L, and negligible interferences from ascorbic acid, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid and uric acid. The OPPy/Au NFs/CFME was successfully applied to the detection of 5-HT in human serum samples with good recovery. The work demonstrates that the electrochemical method, incorporating signal amplification of Au NFs with higher cation selection of OPPy, provides a promising tool for the detection of 5-HT in biological systems     

高效液相色谱/电化学法测定大鼠血液和脑组织中单胺类物质的含量

建立了高效液相色谱／电化学检测法测定大鼠脑组织和血液中单胺递质及其代谢产物的方法。能同时测定去甲肾上腺素（NE）、肾上腺素（E）、3,4-二羟基苯乙酸（DOPAC）、多巴胺（DA）、高香草酸（HAV）、5-羟色胺（5-HT）,并能和内标3,4-二羟卞胺（DHBA）分离良好。本方法快速、简便,回收率为92％-105％,线性范围2．8-680ng／mL,检出限为0．05ng（S／N=3）。本方法已应用在服用中药的大鼠下丘脑组织及血液的测定中,数据显示,本法能满足测定要求。     

Mass fragmentographic determination of 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in brain tissue using deuterated internal standards.

A mass fragmentographic method for the determination of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) in the same extract of rat brain tissue is decribed. Deuterium-labelled analogues were used as internal standards. 5-HT and 5-HIAA were separated by solvent extraction and pentafluoropropionyl derivatives were prepared for the mass fragmentographic analysis. Multiple ion analysis confirmed the identity of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the rat brain. At the mass numbers used routinely for the determination of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the rat brain. At the mass numbers used routinely for the determination of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, the experimental error was below 3% (calculated from mean values of 0.05 and 0.24 nmole, respectively). The recovery of the authentic compounds added to brain extracts was more than 95%. The levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the rat brain were 2.95 +/- 0.16 and 0.64 +/- 0.18 nmole/g, respectively. More than 100 samples could be analyzed within 3 days. The presence of 5-hydroxytryptophol in rat brain was also investigated, but none could be detected either as a conjugate or as the free alcohol.     

Simultaneous determination of dopamine and serotonin using a carbon nanotubes-ionic liquid gel modified glassy carbon electrode

An electrochemical sensor based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-ionic liquid (IL) composite has been developed for the simultaneous determination of serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA). The CNTs-IL composite modified electrode presents excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards 5-HT and DA and eliminates the interference of ascorbic acid. The parameters which influence the determination of 5-HT and DA have been investigated. Under optimized conditions, linear calibration graphs were obtained in the range from 20 nM to 7 µM, with a detection of limit of 8 nM, for 5-HT, and in the range from 0.1 to 12 µM, with a detection of limit of 60 nM, for DA. The electrode has been applied to the assay of 5-HT and DA in human blood serum with good results.     

Simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine and their metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid of anaesthetized normotensive rats.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of the levels of norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT), acetylcholine (ACh) and their metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of anaesthetized rats. The response curve for each compound was linear for the concentration way of interest. The within- and between-day coefficients of variation (C.V.) for NE, 5-HT and their metabolites were less than 7.85% and 15.67%, respectively, and those for ACh and choline were less than 3.08% and 6.27%, respectively. This simultaneous determination should be useful for elucidating the noradrenergic, serotonergic and cholinergic nerve activity in the central nervous system.     

Simultaneous Determination of Fourteen Catecholamines and Their Metabolites by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection

Abstract

A simple method has been developed for simultaneous determination of 14 catecholamines and their metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue by reversed-phase, ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The time required for complete separation and analysis of all compounds was less than 35 min. Quantitation was based on the use of an internal standard isoproterenol. The mobile phase consisted of a 91:9 (v/v) mixture of 0.1 M formic acid and acetonitrile containing sodium-1-octane sulfonic acid. Using this method, analysis of neurotransmitters in brain tissue can be accomplished without a clean-up procedure.     

Automated determination of neuroactive acidic sulphur-containing amino acids and gamma-glutamyl peptides using liquid chromatography with fluorescence and electrochemical detection

A column liquid chromatographic method is presented for the determination of trace levels of acidic sulphur-containing amino acids and gamma-glutamyl di- and tripeptides in microdialysates sampled from rat brain in vivo. Automated precolumn derivatization was performed with o-phthaldialdehyde-beta-mercaptoethanol. The derivatives were separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrochemical and fluorescence detection. The mean relative standard deviation (n = 10) was 1.03 and 4.59% for retention times and peak heights, respectively. The mean correlation coefficient of linearity (r) was 0.9982 in the range 4.5-450 pmol (n = 15), and the lowest detectable amount was 200 fmol for the homocysteinesulphinic acid derivative, (k' = 5.4, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). A microcolumn electrochemical detection method, developed for volume-limited samples, produced a fifteen-fold increase in mass sensitivity. Neurochemical applications using microdialysis in vivo are presented.     

A simple and sensitive high‐performance liquid chromatography–electrochemical detection assay for the quantitative determination of monoamines and respective metabolites in six discrete brain regions of mice

A rapid, sensitive, and reproducible assay is described for the quantitative determination of the monoamine neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, their metabolites, and the internal standard 3,4‐dihydroxybenzlyamine hydro‐bromide in mouse brain homogenate using high‐performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The method was validated in the following brain areas: frontal cortex, striatum, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area. Biogenic amines and relevant metabolites were extracted from discrete brain regions using a simple protein precipitation procedure, and the chromatography was achieved using a C₁₈ column. The method was accurate over the linear range of 0.300–30 ng/mL (r = 0.999) for dopamine and 0.300–15 ng/mL (r = 0.999) for norepinephrine, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzlyamine hydro‐bromide, homovanillic acid and 5‐hydroxyindolacetic acid, with detection limits of ~0.125 ng/mL (5 pg on column) for each of these analytes. Accuracy and linearity for serotonin were observed throughout the concentration range of 0.625–30 ng/mL (r = 0.998) with an analytical detection limit of ~0.300 ng/mL (12 pg on column). Relative recoveries for all analytes were approximately ≥90% and the analytical run time was <10 min. The described method utilized minimal sample preparation procedures and was optimized to provide the sensitivity limits required for simultaneous monoamine and metabolite analysis in small, discrete brain tissue samples.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of malachite green and leucomalachite green (LMG) residues in salmon with in situ LMG oxidation

A liquid chromatography (LC) method is presented for the quantitative determination of malachite green (MG) in salmon. MG and leucomalachite green (LMG) residues were extracted from salmon tissue with ammonium acetate buffer and acetonitrile, and then isolated by partitioning into dichloromethane. LMG was quantitatively oxidized to the chromic MG by reaction with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone. Samples were then cleaned up by solid-phase extraction with alumina and propylsulfonic acid phases. Extracts were analyzed for MG by LC with visible detection at 618 nm using isocratic elution and a C18 column. The method was validated in 35 farm-raised salmon (Salmo salar) tissues fortified at 1, 2, 4, and 10 ng/g (ppb) with an average recovery of 95.4% and a relative standard deviation of +/- 11.1%, and in 5 canned salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) samples fortified at 10 ng/g with an average recovery of 88.9 +/- 2.6%. This study also included the determination of MG and LMG residues in tissues from salmon that had been treated with MG MG was quantitatively determined at the method detection limit of 1 ng/g.     

Automated method to estimate catecholamine and indoleamine content and turnover rates

A double-label isotopic method for estimation of the rate of formation of serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in mouse striatum, hippocampus and cortex was standardized. Mice received an intravenous pulse injection of [3H]tryptophan (TRP) and [3H]tyrosine (TYR) at 2.5, 5, 10 or 20 min before sacrifice by microwave irradiation. Compounds of interest were separated by automated high-performance liquid chromatography and their contents were determined by electrochemical detection. Programmed collection of the TYR, DA, 5-HT and TRP peaks allowed determination of their radioactivity by liquid scintillation. Conversion of [3H]TYR to [3H]DA was nearly ten times greater in striatum than cortex, whereas the formation of [3H]5-HT from [3H]TRP was similar in striatum, cortex and hippocampus.     

Simple and rapid method for the simultaneous determination of the eight main metabolites and conjugates of sulphasalazine in human plasma, urine and faeces using dynamically modified silica

A simple and rapid method for the simultaneous determination of sulphapyridine, N-acetylsulphapyridine, 5-aminosalicylic acid, N-acetyl-5-aminosalicylic acid, hydroxysulphapyridine, N-acetylhydroxysulphapyridine, sulphapyridine O-glucuronide and N-acetylsulphapyridine O-glucuronide in plasma, urine and faeces is presented. After precipitation of plasma proteins by addition of methanol the samples are injected directly into the liquid chromatographic system. The limit of detection is 1 microgram/ml or less at a signal-to-noise ratio of 5 for all compounds using ultraviolet, fluorescence or electrochemical detection. The advantages of the dynamically modified silica approach in this reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method are demonstrated with respect to regulation and reproducibility of the selectivity.     

A Comparison Of Measurement of Homovanillic Acid in Brain Tissue by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry and Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection

Abstract

A comparison of liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (LCEC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) has been made for analysis of homovanillic acid (HVA) in rat brain tissue. The LCEC procedure gave slightly higher average values of HVA in the samples measured; however, the HVA content determined by both methods related significantly. Rat brain meostriatum was used as representative samples for comparison of the two analytical procedures.     

微柱液相色谱-双电极电化学法测定脑微透析液中单胺类递质的含量

用微柱液相色谱－双工作电极电化学检测法,分析了麻醉大白鼠纹状体微透析样品中的单胺类递质及其代谢产物的含量。无论在上游的氧化电位或下游的还原电位进行检测,至少在２～２００ｐｇ范围内,浓度与响应的线性关系良好,检测极限可达１ｐｇ以下。对于检测的优点和需要注意的问题作了扼要的讨论。