Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride pretreatment stabilizes plasma lipidome in lipidomic and metabolomic analysis

Though it is standard practice to test the stability of analytes in the matrix for routine bioanalytical method, stability evaluation is always impractical and skipped in untargeted lipidomic and metabolomic analysis because analytes in these studies are enormous, diverse and sometimes unknown. Lipidome represents a major class of plasma metabolome and shows great potential to be diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. However, lipidome also faces stability problems because plasma contains kinds of lipid degradation enzyme. Here, using liquid chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry based lipidomic methodology, plasma levels of various lipids including triglyceride (TG), diglyceride (DG), free fatty acid (FFA), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) phosphatidylcholine (PC), lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC), lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), and sphingomyelin (SM) were dynamically determined within 4 h at ambient temperature. In mouse and rat plasma, the levels of most TG, DG, PC and PE species significantly decreased with respect to time, whereas those of LPC, LPE and FFA significantly increased with respect to time. However, such changes did not occur in human plasma, thus indicating hepatic lipase and esterase might involve in the species-specified degradation of lipid classes in plasma. Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) pretreatment prevented such lipidome instability in mouse plasma. The results suggested the instability of plasma lipidome should be highly concerned, and the enhancement of ex vivo stability of plasma lipidome could enable more reliable clinical translation of lipidomic data for biomarker discovery.     

sn-1 Specificity of Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase-1 Revealed by a Mass Spectrometry-Based Assay

Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase-1 (LPCAT1) plays a critical role in the remodeling of phosphatidylcholines (PCs) in cellular lipidome. However, evidence is scarce regarding its sn-selectivity, viz. the preference of assembling acyl-Coenzyme A (CoA) at the C1 or C2-hydroxyl on a glycerol backbone because of difficulty to quantify the thus-formed PC sn-isomers. We have established a multiplexed assay to measure both sn- and acyl-chain selectivity of LPCAT1 toward a mixture of acyl-CoAs by integrating isomer-resolving tandem mass spectrometry. Our findings reveal that LPCAT1 shows exclusive sn-1 specificity regardless of the identity of acyl-CoAs. We further confirm that elevated PC 18 : 1/16:0 relative to its sn-isomer results from an increased expression of LPCAT1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue as compared to normal liver tissue. MS imaging via desorption electrospray ionization of PC 18 : 1/16:0 thus enables visualization of HCC margins in human liver tissue at a molecular level.     

Enzymatic Extract Fractionation of (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt) Citronella through Supercritical Carbon dioxide (SC-CO2)

Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt or citronella is said to be an insect repellant and usually planted in the yard in the Philippines. In this study enzymatic extracts of citronella were fractionated using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction to have different oil extracts in three different parameters, 10 megapascal (10 MPa), 20 megapascal (20 MPa) and 30 megapascal (30 MPa) at constant temperature at 40° Celsius. The highest oil yield is at 20 MPa with an average of 10.21 for three trials of extraction, followed by 10 MPa and 30 MPa with 4.89 and 2.15. Oil extract at 10 MPa was subjected to gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and found four components in which 2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)bicycle hexan 2-ol or trans sabinene hydrate and 4-methanol-o-Menth-8-ene or elemol was the major compounds. The pure crude enzymatic extract, 20 MPa and 30 MPa supercritical carbon dioxide extracts were subjected to fatty acid profiling, twelve free fatty acid were found at pure crude enzymatic extract, while nine free fatty acid were found at 20 MPa and 30 MPa supercritical carbon dioxide extracts. Lauric (C12) is consistently highest in terms of weight by weight in three extracts that were subjected to free fatty acid profiling. This study can be used as basis for agricultural applications in food and pharmaceutical since there is no thorough study of the fractionation of enzymatic extract of citronella.     

Mass spectrometric study of the dissociation of Group XI metal complexes with fatty acids and glycerolipids: Ag2H+ and Cu2H+ ion formation in the presence of a double bond

Results of mass spectrometric studies are reported for the collisional dissociation of Group XI (Cu, Ag, Au) metal ion complexes with fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, linoleic and α-linolenic) and glycerolipids. Remarkably, the formation of M₂H⁺ ions (M = Cu, Ag) is observed as a dissociation product of the ion complexes containing more than one metal cation and only if the lipid in the complex contains a double bond. Ag₂H⁺ is formed as the main dissociation channel for all three of the fatty acids containing double bonds that were investigated while Cu₂H⁺ is formed with one of the fatty acids and, although abundant, is not the dominant dissociation channel. Also, Cu(I) and Ag(I) ion complexes were observed with glycerolipids (including triacylglycerols and glycerophospholipids) containing either saturated or unsaturated fatty acid substituents. Interestingly, Ag₂H⁺ ion is formed in a major fragmentation channel with the lipids that are able to form the complex with two metal cations (triacylglycerols and glycerophosphoglycerols), while lipids containing a fixed positive charge (glycerophospocholines) complex only with a single metal cation. The formation of Ag₂H⁺ ion is a significant dissociation channel from the complex ion [Ag₂(L–H)]⁺ where L = Glycerophospholipid (GP) (18:1/18:1). Cu(I) also forms complexes of two metal cations with glycerophospholipids but these do not produce Cu₂H⁺ upon dissociation. Rather organic fragments, not containing Cu(I), are formed, perhaps due to different interactions of these metal cations with lipids resulting from the much smaller ionic radius of Cu(I) compared to Ag(I).     

Vapor–liquid equilibria and densities of CO2 with four unsaturated fatty acid esters at elevated pressures

In this study experimental P–T–x–y equilibrium data for four binary mixtures over a wide range of pressure (10.44–23.54 MPa) were determined at 313 K and 333 K. Liquid and vapor densities of carbon dioxide + four fatty acid ester systems, including oleic acid methyl ester, linoleic acid methyl ester, eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester, and docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester were measured by using two circulating systems consisting of two vibrating tube densitometers. The vapor-phase density was observed to increase more significantly with pressure than the liquid-phase density at constant temperature. Experimental equilibrium constants of oleic acid methyl ester and linoleic acid methyl ester were found to be larger than those of eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester, docosahaxaenoic acid ethyl ester, linoleic acid, triolein, and tocopherol. This indicates that the two methylated fatty acids would be extracted easier than the other compounds in a separation process using supercritical CO₂ extraction. The equilibrium data were successfully correlated using the Peng–Robinson and modified Soave–Redlich–Kwong equations of state with quadratic (two parameters), Panagiotopoulos–Reid (three parameters), and Adachi–Sugie (three parameters) mixing rules. In general, the Soave–Redlich–Kwong equation of state with the Panagiotopoulos–Reid mixing rules and the quadratic mixing rules give the best correlation for methylated fatty acids and ethylated fatty acids, respectively.     

Polyaniline nanotubes for impedimetric triglyceride detection

Polyaniline nanotubes (PANI-NT) based film electrophoretically deposited onto indium–tin–oxide (ITO) coated glass plate has been utilized for covalent immobilization of lipase (LIP), via glutaraldehyde (Glu), for triglyceride detection using impedimetric technique. It is shown that fatty acid molecules produced during triglyceride hydrolysis result in change in charge transfer resistance (R_CT) of PANI-NT film with varying triglyceride concentration. LIP/Glu/PANI-NT/ITO bioelectrode has linearity as 25–300 mg dL^?1, sensitivity as 2.59 × 10^?3 KΩ^?1 mg^?1 dL, response time as 20 s and regression coefficient as 0.99. A low value of apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (～0.62 mM) indicates high enzyme affinity to tributyrin. The LIP/Glu/PANI-NT/ITO bioelectrode has been utilized to estimate triglyceride in serum samples.     

Preparation and properties of zirconia nanotube-supported 12-tungstophosphoric acid catalyst

Zirconia nanotube-supported H₃PW₁₂O₄0 (HPW) catalysts exhibit high catalytic activities in the synthesis of fatty acid ethyl ester.     

The changes of fatty acid and amino acid compositions in sea bream (Sparus aurata) during irradiation process

Aqua cultured fish (sea bream) were irradiated by Cobalt-60 at commercial irradiation facility at dose of 2.5 and 5 kGy at 2–4 °C. The proximate composition, fatty acid and amino acid composition changes of irradiated aqua cultured sea bream (Sparus aurata) of Aegean Sea were investigated. Total saturated (28.01%) and total monounsaturated (28.42%) fatty acid contents of non-irradiated decreased content of 27.69–27.97% for 2.5 kGy irradiated groups and increased content of 28.33–28.56% for 5 kGy irradiated groups after irradiation process. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid content for irradiated samples was lower than that of non-irradiated samples. Aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, glycine, arginine, alanine, tyrosine, cystine, tryptophan, lysine and proline contents for 2.5 and 5 kGy irradiated sea bream are significantly different (p<0.05).     

Thermophysical properties of biodiesel and related systems: (Liquid + liquid) equilibrium data for castor oil biodiesel

This work reports new liquid–liquid solubility values (binodal curves) as well as (liquid + liquid) equilibrium data for, ternary and quaternary systems containing fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) from castor oil, water, glycerol, methanol and anhydrous ethanol at T = (303.15, 318.15, and 333.15) K. Solubility curves (binodal) were also obtained by the cloud-point method for binary systems containing FAME, FAEE, water, or glycerol. All results obtained can be considered of good quality. The experimental values were correlated using the UNIQUAC model, whose results presented good performance and satisfactory fitting of equilibrium values.     

Thermophysical properties of biodiesel and related systems: (Liquid + liquid) equilibrium data for Jatropha curcas biodiesel

Reported in this study are (liquid + liquid) equilibrium data for binary, ternary, and quaternary systems formed by fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) of Jatropha curcas oil, water, glycerol, methanol, and ethanol at temperatures of (303.15, 318.15, and 333.15) K. In general, all the systems investigated resulted in good agreement between phase compositions of crunodes of tie-lines, solubility curves (binodal curves) and overall compositions, hence indicating low deviations from mass balance. Experimental results were correlated with the UNIQUAC model, showing low deviations among experimental and calculated values.     

Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich. seed oil: Chemical composition and antiproliferative effect on human colonic adenocarcinoma and fibrosarcoma cancer cell lines

In this work the physicochemical characteristics including fatty acids, tocopherols and sterols composition of Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich seed oil was determined. Results showed that linoleic acid (48.64%) and punicic acid (22.38%) were the major polyunsaturated fatty acids. Among the phytosterols, β-sitosterol was the most abundant (396.25 mg/100 g), while the major tocopherol form was γ-tocopherol (44.23 mg/100 g). In addition, we evaluated for the first time the effect of E. elaterium seed oil on the growth of human colonic adenocarcinoma (HT29) and fibrosarcoma (HT1080) cell lines. The original finding was its potent antiproliferative effect on both tumour cell lines. This effect was dose-dependent, with half-maximal inhibition values of IC₅₀ = 4.86 μg/ml and 4.16 μg/ml respectively. This pilot study opens the way for further investigation about the potential use of E. elaterium as an anticancer agent.     

Experimental determination of the (vapor + liquid) equilibrium data of binary mixtures of fatty acids by differential scanning calorimetry

(Vapor + liquid) equilibrium (VLE) data for three binary mixtures of saturated fatty acids were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). However, changes in the calorimeter pressure cell and the use of hermetic pans with holes (? = 250 mm) in the lids were necessary to make it possible to apply this analytical technique, obtaining accurate results with smaller samples and shorter operational times.The systems evaluated in this study were: myristic acid (C_14:0) + palmitic acid (C_16:0), myristic acid (C_14:0) + stearic acid (C_18:0), and palmitic acid (C_16:0) + stearic acid (C_18:0), all measured at 50 mm Hg and with mole fractions between 0.0 and 1.0 in relation to the most volatile component of each diagram. The fugacity coefficients for the components in the vapor phase were calculated using the Hayden and O’Connell method [J.G. Hayden, J.P. O’Connell, Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Design Develop. 14 (3) (1975) 209–216] and the activity coefficients for the liquid phase were correlated with the traditional g^E models (NRTL [H. Renon, J.M. Prausnitz, Aiche J. 14 (1968) 135–144], UNIQUAC [D.S. Abrams, J.M. Prausnitz, Aiche J. 21 (1975) 116–128], and Wilson [J.M. Prausnitz, N.L. Linchtenthaler, E.G. Azevedo, Molecular Thermodynamics of Fluid-phase Equilibria, River-Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle, 1999]). The sets of parameters were then compared in order to determine which adjustments best represented the VLE.     

Vapour liquid equilibria of monocaprylin plus palmitic acid or methyl stearate at P = (1.20 and 2.50) kPa by using DSC technique

The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) technique is used for measuring isobaric (vapour + liquid) equilibria for two binary mixtures: {monocaprylin + palmitic acid (system 1) or methyl stearate (system 2)} at two different pressures P = (1.20 and 2.50) kPa. The obtained PTx data are correlated by Wilson, NRTL and UNIQUAC models. The original UNIFAC group contribution method is also considered and new binary interaction parameters for the main groups CH₂, CCOO, OH and COOH are regressed, to account for the non-idealities found in these lipid systems. Established thermodynamic consistency tests are applied and attest the quality of the measured data. In terms of relevance of the selected components, system 1 can be found in the purification and deodorization steps during the production of edible oils, while, system 2 can be found in the purification steps of biodiesel. It should be noted that no such data could be found in the open literature, not only for the specific components selected but also for the combination of the classes of components considered; that is, acylglycerol plus fatty acid or fatty ester.     

Chemical composition and biological potential of seed oil and leaf extracts of Henophyton deserti Coss. & Durieu

Henophyton deserti was characterized in respect to its chemical composition, antioxidant potential and antimicrobial activity. Fourteen compounds were identified by LC/MS, GC/MS, and GC in leaf and seed extracts. Total flavonoids ranged between 45.66 and 181.2 mg QE g^?1 and 2.03 and 38.95 mg QE g^?1 dry weight (dw) in leaf and seed polar extracts, respectively. Rutin, Kaempferol 3-rutinoside, Diosmetin 7-O-Glucoside, and Acacetin 7-O-Glucoside flavonoids were tentatively identified in this plant. The profile of seed fatty acids revealed oleic acid (C18:1, 27%), linoleic acid (C18:2, 12%) and linolenic acid (C18:3, 17%). The highest antioxidant activities of 85.2% and 67.5% were obtained with methanol and ethyl acetate leaf extracts. All H. deserti extracts were active against at least one of the tested bacteria, leaf ethyl acetate extract showed the lowest MIC of 0.156 mg ml^?1. Only seed ethyl acetate extract showed antifungal activity with a MIC of 2.5 mg ml^?1.     

Thermal stability of fatty acids in subcritical water

In this work, hydrolytic reaction conditions of various temperatures (300–370 °C) and times (0–30 min) at a constant pressure of 20 MPa were applied to the thermal decomposition of three kinds of fatty acids (FAs), stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, in subcritical water. The degradation characteristics were investigated from the derived data, and the thermal stability of FAs in subcritical water was estimated. The primary reactions we observed were isomerization and pyrolysis of FAs. The main pathway of degradation was deduced by analyzing the contents of pyrolyzed products. We found that more saturated FAs have greater thermal stability in subcritical water. All FAs remained stable at 300 °C or below. Based on these results, we recommend that hydrolysis of vegetable oils and fats using subcritical water should be carried out below 300 °C (at 20 MPa) and for less than 30 min to obtain high-yield FA production.     

Phase behavior of (CO2 + methanol + lauric acid) system

In this study the phase equilibrium behaviors of the binary system (CO₂ + lauric acid) and the ternary system (CO₂ + methanol + lauric acid) were determined. The static synthetic method, using a variable-volume view cell, was employed to obtain the experimental data in the temperature range of (293 to 343) K and pressures up to 24 MPa. The mole fractions of carbon dioxide were varied according to the systems as follows: (0.7524 to 0.9955) for the binary system (CO₂ + lauric acid); (0.4616 to 0.9895) for the ternary system (CO₂ + methanol + lauric acid) with a methanol to lauric acid molar ratio of (2:1); and (0.3414 to 0.9182) for the system (CO₂ + methanol + lauric acid) with a methanol to lauric acid molar ratio of (6:1). For these systems (vapor + liquid), (liquid + liquid), (vapor + liquid + liquid), and (solid + fluid) transitions were observed. The phase equilibrium data obtained for the systems were modeled using the Peng–Robinson equation of state with the classical van der Waals mixing rule with a satisfactory correlation between experimental and calculated values.     

Thermophysical properties of biodiesel and related systems: (Liquid + liquid) equilibrium data for soybean biodiesel

This work reports (liquid + liquid) equilibrium (LLE) data for the systems of interest in soybean biodiesel production. Numerical data for LLE were obtained for binary, ternary and quaternary systems comprising fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) from soybean oil, water, glycerol, methanol, and ethanol at temperatures of (303.15, 318.15, and 333.15) K. Quantification of compounds in equilibrium in both phases was determined by analytical methods whereas solubility curves (binodal) were obtained by the cloud-point method. For all systems investigated, good alignments were obtained between phase compositions and the initial as well as overall compositions hence indicating low deviations from the mass balance. Experimental results were correlated using the UNIQUAC model with satisfactory agreement between experiment and theory.     

Interaction and solubilization of some phenolic antioxidants in Pluronic® micelles

The solubilization of four phenolic antioxidants, namely p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBAA), syringic acid, sinapic acid, and quercetin in micelles of an ethylene oxide (EO)–propylene oxide (PO) triblock copolymer Pluronic^® P104 (EO₂₇–PO₆₁–EO₂₇, PPO mol wt = 3540, % PEO = 40) was examined at different temperatures, pHs, and in the presence of sodium chloride. The nano-size core–shell micelles of P104 characterized by dynamic light scattering had hydrodynamic diameter of about 18–20 nm with low polydispersity. Antioxidants induced micellization and micellar growth were observed. The critical micellar concentration (CMC), critical micellar temperature (CMT), cloud point (CP) of P104 decreased due to solubilization and interactions of antioxidants. The solubilization was favored at higher temperature, pH and in the presence of salt and follows the order PHBA > syringic acid > sinapic acid > quercetin which corresponds to the trend in their aqueous solubility. The location of antioxidant in micelles observed from NOESY spectra. Structure and hydrophobicity of antioxidants were found to be governing factors for their interaction and location in the micelles.     

Protic ionic liquids as recyclable solvents for the acid catalysed synthesis of diphenylmethyl thioethers

The acid catalysed formation of diphenylmethyl (DPM) thioethers was successfully achieved using the protic ionic liquid (pIL) triethylamine:methanesulfonic acid (TeaMs) as the reaction solvent under microwave irradiation. A slight excess of methanesulfonic acid (10% v/v) was required to facilitate the reaction, which was applied to a variety of thiols. Aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic aromatic thiols were converted to their corresponding DPM thioethers in high yields (63–99%), in short reaction times (5–20 min) and using mild temperatures (80–100 °C). Finally, the pIL (TeaMS) was recycled five times without loss of yield.     

The binary (solid + liquid) phase diagrams of (caprylic or capric acid) + (1-octanol or 1-decanol)

In the present study the phase diagrams of four (fatty acid + fatty alcohol) binary mixtures composed of caprylic (C8O2) or capric acid (C10O2) + 1-octanol (C8OH) or 1-decanol (C10OH) were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Eutectic and peritectic reactions occurred in the systems. In standard DSC analyses of the (C8O2 + C10OH) and (C10O2 + C8OH) systems, an exothermic transition occurs in association with the melting of a metastable phase. A Stepscan DSC method was used in order to avoid the formation of this metastable phase during the heating of the mixtures. The approach suggested by Slaughter and Doherty (1995) [24] was used for modeling the solid phase, and the Margules 2-suffix, Margules 3-suffix and NRTL models were applied for calculating the activity coefficients of the liquid phase. The best modeling results were obtained using the Margules-3-suffix with an average deviation between experimental and calculated values ranging from T = (0.3 to 0.9) K.