Development of piezoelectric immunosensors for measurement of albuminuria

The development of piezoelectric immunosensors for human serum albumin (HSA) is reported. The piezoelectric crystals were modified either with monoclonal antibody AL-01 (direct assay) or with HSA (competitive assay). Measurements were carried out in the flow-through mode. Affinity interaction between albumin and the antibody was characterised. With immobilised antibody and HSA in solution, the kinetic association rate constant k(a) was 18 100 l mol(-1) s(-1) and the dissociation constant k(d) was 0.00369 s(-1). For the opposite arrangement (immobilised HSA), a slower dissociation was observed, k(d) was 0.00085 s(-1). A competitive assay for HSA was developed with working range of 1-5 mug ml(-1) and a total time for one analysis equal to 17 min. Samples of urine were analysed after tenfold dilution. The developed system was successfully evaluated on real samples from diabetic patients and the obtained results correlated well with the standard reflectometric assay of proteins in urine.     

The synthesis and the solvent and substituent effect on the spectroscopic characteristic of 3-ethyl-2-(p-substitued styryl)benzothiazolium iodides

The photophysical and photochemical properties of p-substitued 2-styryl-ethylbenzothiazolium iodides, possessing different electron-withdrawing or electron-donating groups are described. The dyes were prepared by the condensation of 3-ethyl-2-methylbenzothiazole salts with p-substituted benzaldehydes. The synthesis of suitable substrates is presented as well. We describe here the absorption, emission spectra and the luminescence quantum yield of hemicyanine dyes (SH) measured in 11 different organic solvents of varying polarity. Molecular structure of the synthesized dyes was established by (1)H NMR, electronic absorption and fluorescence spectrometry. The spectral data confirmed that all the compounds exist in E-configuration of their styryl residues. The planar molecular conformation is typical for the compounds with five-membered side aromatic moieties (for example benzothiazole). The compounds possessing N-alkyl substituent in phenyl ring, in contrast to the compounds with other substituents, exhibit low fluorescence quantum yield in THF solution. This indicates that for N-alkyl derivatives the non-radiative processes are much more effective than the radiative ones. The electronic absorption and fluorescence emission spectra of tested dyes demonstrate high sensitivity to the nature of substituent introduced into the aromatic ring.     

Atmospheric pressure electrospray ionization mass spectra of glucose and 2-fluorodeoxyglucose for quantitative analysis of 2-fluorodeoxyglucose by high-performance liquid chromatography

2-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) labeled by fluorine-18 is the most widely used radiopharmaceutical for positron emission tomography (PET). For high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/MS assay and quality control, the mass spectra of FDG and glucose (Glc) in organic + water solutions were studied by flow injection analysis (FIA) and in a chromatographic eluate. In acetonitrile (MeCN) + 0.025% ammonium formate (NH(4)HCO(2)) solvent (80 : 20), electrospray ionisation (ESI) of glucose-FDG provides M.NH(4)(+) and 2M.Na(+) (M = Glc or FDG) as the most intense positive ions. Formation of the latter ions and also of M.MeCN.Na(+) and 2MeCN. Na(+) is typical of the presence of NaCl in the ESI inlet. The positive ions include heavier ions corresponding to the impurities separated by HPLC and also to the cross-ring fragmentation of complexes (2FDG. aMeCNX)L, where a = 0 or 1, L is either Na(+) or NH(4)(+) and X is a fragmented pyranose or anhydropyranose residue. The second most abundant Glc negative ion is m/z = 359 which was interpreted as (2GlcH(+))(). The negative-ion spectrum of FDG has dominating lines due to FDG.HCO(2)() ions at m/z 227 and also (2FDGH(+))() at m/z 363. The m/z 363 signal is suppressed in the presence of NaCl at a molar ratio of 4 : 1 to NH(4)HCO(2), while the ions at m/z 217 and 219, i.e. FDG.Cl(), become three times more intense than FDG.HCO(2)(). The latter ion appears to be most suitable as an analytical signal for chemical analysis of FDG at m/z 226 and 227. Limits of FDG quantitation (LOQ) of 19 ng and 21 ng were found for the 200(+) and 227() ion signals, respectively, and are wholly adequate for verification of total FDG content in radiopharmaceuticals.     

Incorporation of stable organic radicals into cyclotriphosphazene: preparation and characterization of mono- and diradical adducts

Stable cyclotriphosphazenes 4 and 5, incorporating one and two carbon radical centers, respectively, have been easily prepared and characterized. EPR spectroscopic studies in fluid solution at room temperature were carried out for both compounds and also for diradical 5 in frozen solvent matrixes. Spectral results are consistent with a triplet or degenerate singlet triplet ground state for 5. Reductive cyclic voltammetry shows a redox couple, being monoelectronic for 4 and bielectronic for 5.     

Assembly of the hexameric Escherichia coli arginine repressor investigated by nano-electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The arginine repressor (ArgR) from Escherichia coli regulates genes for L-arginine metabolism and is a required recombination factor for colE1 plasmid replication. Both functions require binding of L-arginine to the protein. In this work, nano-electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (nano-ESI-TOFMS) is used to study conformational and oligomeric states of intact ArgR and its isolated structural domains. In agreement with X-ray diffraction studies, it is shown that ArgR oligomerizes to form hexamers in both the presence and absence of L-arginine, and the basic unit of oligomerization appears to be the trimer. Higher-order assembly into dodecamers is also detected. The isolated C-terminal domain is found to associate into trimers and hexamers whereas the N-terminal domain is detected in its monomeric form. The observed species distributions suggest a role for the N-terminal domain in hexamer stabilization.     

On-line coupling of sequential injection extraction with restricted-access materials for sample clean-up and analysis of drugs in biological matrix

In this contribution, the on-line coupling of solid phase extraction (SPE), based on a restricted-access material (RAM), with sequential injection technique (SIA) for the analysis of biological samples, is described. The SIA-RAM system was tested with a new potential antileucotrienic drug (VUFB-19363 (Quinlukast)) for serum analysis. The method is based on SPE with the novel internal-surface reversed-phase column packing material-alkyl-diol silica (ADS). The supports tolerate direct and repetitive injection of proteinaceous fluids (plasma, serum) and allow reversed-phase partitioning at the internal surface. A column packed with a 25 microm C18 alkyl-diol support was used for direct serum injection. Using a 6-port selection valve and the system of three mobile phases, the polar matrix compounds and metabolites are removed by sequentially aspirated mobile phases with lower content of the organic part (methanol-water (2:98) and following acetonitrile-water (20:80)) to the waste, and then, the analyte enriched on the column is eluted by a strong mobile phase (acetonitrile-methanol-water (40:20:40)) to the UV detector without transfer loss. With the fully automated SIA system, a total analysis time of less than 10 min was achieved. The only off-line sample pre-treatment step required to remove particulate matter was centrifugation. The studies showed a range of linearity (2-40 microg ml(-1)) and a high recovery (93.6-96.8%) of drug from the biological matrix with coefficients of variation (RSD) less than 5.0% (n = 6). This paper introduces a new, simple and robust analytical technique suitable for screening determination and direct analysis of drugs in biological materials.     

Luminescence temperature antiquenching of water-soluble CdTe quantum dots: role of the solvent

Luminescence temperature antiquenching (LTAQ) is observed for water-soluble CdTe quantum dots (QDs) capped with aminoethanethiol (AET). The efficient exciton emission (quantum efficiency of approximately 40% at 300 K) is quenched almost completely as the QD solutions are cooled to below 230 K and is fully recovered around 270 K upon warming up to room temperature (LTAQ). Temperature-dependent lifetime measurements show that the quenching rate is high, resulting in an on/off behavior. No LTAQ is observed for CdTe QDs capped with aminoundecanethiol (AUT). The LTAQ is explained by the influence of solvent freezing on the surface of the QD core. Freezing of the solvation water molecules surrounding the QD will induce strain in the capping shell, due to the interaction between water and the charged heads of the capping molecules. Short carbon chains (AET) will propagate the strain to the QD surface, creating surface quenching states, whereas long and flexible chains (AUT) will dissipate the strain, thus avoiding surface distortion. Freezing-point depression by the addition of methanol results in a lowering of the transition temperature. Additional support is provided by the size dependence of the LTAQ: smaller particles, with higher local ionic strength due to a higher density of charged NH(3)(+) surface groups, experience a lower transition temperature due to stronger local freezing-point depression.     

Electrospray ionization ion-trap multistage mass spectrometric study of sodium cationized aldobiuronic and pseudoaldobiuronic acid derivatives

Fragmentation mechanisms of electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry of aldobiuronic and pseudoaldobiuronic acid derivatives were elucidated by multistage mass spectrometric (MS(n), n = 2-5) measurements of selected ions. Characteristic under the conditions of ESI-MS analysis is the production of alkali metal (Na and K) cationized adducts. The probability the of locations of Na cations in per-O-methylated compounds was proved by quantum chemical calculations, using the Jaguar program. The most probably position of alkali metal attachment is the carboxy group of the methoxycarbonyl C-5 group of the uronic acid unit. Characteristic cleavages vary according the kind of O-derivatization. In most cases they take place on the acidic part of the dimer and at the interglycosidic oxygen atom. As a result, the criteria for the differentiation of aldobiouronic and pseudoaldobiouronic acids derivatives were elucidated.     

Synthesis, characterization and potential biomedical applications of N-succinimidyl ester functionalized, polypyrrole-coated polystyrene latex particles

N-Succinimidyl ester functionalized polypyrrole-coated polystyrene latex particles (PS_E-PPyNSE) were prepared by the in situ copolymerization of pyrrole and the active ester-functionalized pyrrole (pyrrole-NSE) in the presence of polystyrene latex particles. Polystyrene microspheres were prepared by emulsion polymerization (PS_E) leading to particles having a diameter of 450 nm. These PS_E particles were precoated with poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) prior to the in situ copolymerization of pyrrole and pyrrole-NSE. The initial comonomer concentration fractions were 25/75, 50/50 and 75/25 for pyrrole and pyrrole-NSE, respectively. The PPy-coated PS_E particles were characterized in terms of morphology, particle size, electrophoretic mobility and chemical composition. The study of morphology by means of scanning electron microscopy showed roughening of the underlying PS_E particles owing to the addition of PPyNSE, the overlayer thickness of which was estimated to be around 7 nm. Moreover, loading PPyNSE overlayers resulted in a shift of the electrophoretic mobility from –5.31 m cm/V s to a very small but positive value (0.082–0.112 m cm/V s). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy permitted the detection of pyrrole-NSE repeat units at the surface indicating that pyrrole and pyrrole-NSE did indeed copolymerize. The PS_E-PPyNSE particles were further evaluated as bioadsorbents of human serum albumin used as a test protein. For this study, PS_E-PPyNSE₅₀ particles, synthesized from a comonomer feed ratio of 50/50 in pyrrole/pyrrole-NSE, were used and were shown to attach efficiently human serum albumin macromolecules with a maximum amount of 0.2 mg m^–2.