Ultrahigh-pressure dual online solid phase extraction/capillary reverse-phase liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (DO-SPE/cRPLC/MS/MS): a versatile separation platform for high-throughput and highly sensitive proteomic analyses

Capillary RPLC/ESI-MS (cRPLC/ESI-MS) is one of the most powerful analytical tools for current proteomic research. The development of cRPLC techniques coupled online to a mass spectrometer has focused on increasing the separation efficiency, detection sensitivity, and throughput. Recently, the use of high-pressure (over 10,000 psi) LC systems that utilize long, small inner diameter capillary columns has gained much attention for proteomic analyses. In this study, we developed an ultrahigh-pressure dual online SPE/capillary RPLC (DO-SPE/cRPLC) system. This LC system employs two online SPE columns and two capillary columns (75 microm inner diameter x 1 m length) in a single separation system, and has a maximum operating pressure of 10,000 psi. This DO-SPE/cRPLC system is capable of providing high-resolution separation in addition to several other advantageous features, such as high reproducibility in terms of the LC retention time, rapid sample injection, online desalting, online sample enrichment of dilute samples, and increased throughput as a result of essentially removing the column equilibration time between successive experiments. We coupled the DO-SPE/cRPLC system online to a tandem mass spectrometer to allow high-throughput proteomic analyses. In this paper, we demonstrate the efficiency of this DO-SPE/cRPLC/MS/MS system by its use in the analyses of proteomic samples exhibiting different levels of complexity.     

Sesterterpenoids

The literature concerning sesterterpenoids is reviewed. They are a group of pentaprenyl terpenoids with diverse biological properties, attractive targets for both biomedical and synthetic purposes.     

Thermally cross-linked superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: synthesis and application as a dual imaging probe for cancer in vivo

We report the fabrication and characterization of thermally cross-linked superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (TCL-SPION) and their application to the dual imaging of cancer in vivo. Unlike dextran-coated cross-linked iron oxide nanoparticles, which are prepared by a chemical cross-linking method, TCL-SPION are prepared by a simple, thermal cross-linking method using a Si-OH-containing copolymer. The copolymer, poly(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate-r-PEG methyl ether methacrylate-r-N-acryloxysuccinimide), was synthesized by radical polymerization and used as a coating material for as-synthesized magnetite (Fe3O4) SPION. The polymer-coated SPION was further heated at 80 degrees C to induce cross-linking between the -Si(OH)3 groups in the polymer chains, which finally generated TCL-SPION bearing a carboxyl group as a surface functional group. The particle size, surface charge, presence of polymer-coating layers, and the extent of thermal cross-linking were characterized and confirmed by various measurements, including dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The carboxyl TCL-SPION was converted to amine-modified TCL-SPION and then finally to Cy5.5 dye-conjugated TCL-SPION for use in dual (magnetic resonance/optical) in vivo cancer imaging. When the Cy5.5 TCL-SPION was administered to Lewis lung carcinoma tumor allograft mice by intravenous injection, the tumor was unambiguously detected in T2-weighted magnetic resonance images as a 68% signal drop as well as in optical fluorescence images within 4 h, indicating a high level of accumulation of the nanomagnets within the tumor site. In addition, ex vivo fluorescence images of the harvested tumor and other major organs further confirmed the highest accumulation of the Cy5.5 TCL-SPION within the tumor. It is noteworthy that, despite the fact that TCL-SPION does not bear any targeting ligands on its surface, it was highly effective for tumor detection in vivo by dual imaging.     

The centrosomal localization of KM-HN-1 (MGC33607) depends on the leucine zipper motif and the C-terminal coiled-coil domain

KM-HN-1 is a C-terminal coiled-coil domain containing protein previously referred to as image clone MGC33607. This protein has been previously identified as a cancer/testis antigen and reported as nuclear and chromatin localizing protein. We raised polyclonal antisera with the GST fusion protein and identified them as a 105 kDa protein. Motif analysis showed that this protein harbors the leucine zipper motif in internal 1/3 region and the coiled-coil domain in the C-terminal region. Using the full length and various deletion mutants, we determined the motif that governs the subcellular localization of KM-HN-1. Immunofluorescence staining of the endogenous KM-HN-1 and various kinds of GFP-tagged KM-HN-1 revealed that KM-HN-1 localizes to the centrosomes as well as nucleus. The centrosomal localization-determining region of this protein is C-terminal coiled-coil domain in which the leucine zipper motif and the nuclear export signal (NES) harbor.     

Isolation of neural precursor cells from skeletal muscle tissues and their differentiation into neuron-like cells

Skeletal muscle contains several precursor cells that generate muscle, bone, cartilage and blood cells. Although there are reports that skeletal muscle-derived cells can trans-differentiate into neural-lineage cells, methods for isolating precursor cells, and procedures for successful neural induction have not been fully established. Here, we show that the preplate cell isolation method, which separates cells based on their adhesion characteristics, permits separation of cells possessing neural precursor characteristics from other cells of skeletal muscle tissues. We term these isolated cells skeletal muscle-derived neural precursor cells (SMNPs). The isolated SMNPs constitutively expressed neural stem cell markers. In addition, we describe effective neural induction materials permitting the neuron-like cell differentiation of SMNPs. Treatment with retinoic acid or forskolin facilitated morphological changes in SMNPs; they differentiated into neuron-like cells that possessed specific neuronal markers. These results suggest that the preplate isolation method, and treatment with retinoic acid or forskolin, may provide vital assistance in the use of SMNPs in cell-based therapy of neuronal disease.     

Resolution of infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry using glycerol; enhancement with a disperse laser beam

Some experimental factors affecting the resolution in glycerol infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (IR-MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry were investigated. Loading the sample inside a cavity covered with a grid was found to improve the resolving power as reported previously, although not to the extent attainable in UV-MALDI using the same instrument. The resolving power improved as the laser spot area at the sample position got larger, becoming almost comparable with that in UV-MALDI when the spot area was a little larger than the cavity size. Reduced concentration of the ablated materials in the acceleration region with the use of the grid and large irradiation area may be responsible for the enhanced resolution. In addition, the threshold laser fluences measured in this work were lower than those reported in the literature and tended to decrease more rapidly as the irradiation area increased than predicted previously. The implication of similar threshold fluences for matrix and analyte ions is discussed in relation to the analyte ion formation mechanism.     

Calix[4]bis(thiacrown): assembly of an endocyclic disilver(I) complex and exocyclic 3D copper(I) coordination polymers

Calix[4]bis(thiacrown-5) (L) with 1,3-alternating conformation was employed as a strong dinucleating ligand for the soft metal ions AgI and CuI. The reaction of L with AgPF6 afforded a discrete endo-coordinated disilver(I) complex 1, [Ag2L](PF6)2. In contrast, mixed products (2a + 2b) consisting of 3D networks were obtained from the reaction of L and CuI; 2b linked with a Cu4I4 cubane unit was shown to generate photoluminescence, while 2a linked with a Cu2I2 rhomboid unit does not.     

Reorganization of highly preorganized hosts upon cation complexation: Ab initio study of fluorospherands

Fluorospherands (F‐spherands) are highly preorganized hosts composed of fluorobenzene or 4‐methylfluorobenzene units attached to one another at their 2,6‐positions. To understand the intrinsic factors affecting cation complexation, we investigated the complexation behavior between F‐spherands and cations using density functional theory (DFT) at the level of B3LYP/6‐31G**. The F6‐spherand (C₆H₃F)₆, ( 1 ) has a highly preorganized spherical cavity, which can encapsulate Li⁺ and Na⁺. Its cavity is not big enough for K⁺ and NH, which prefer external binding. Plausible conformations were studied for F8‐spherand (C₆H₃F)₈. Conformer of D_2d symmetry ( 2b ) is more stable than that of D_4d ( 2a ), in agreement with NMR experiments. The cavity size of F8‐spherand is big enough to encapsulate all cations studied. However, the cavity size of 2b is smaller than that of 2a , which resulted in the guest selectivity. Upon complexation, 2b conformation is more stable for Li⁺ and Na⁺, while 2a conformation is preferred for larger cations such as K⁺ and NH. Thus, the ab initio calculations over these highly preorganized fluorospherands give important insights into their host–guest chemistry. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Cyanide-bridged W(V)-Co(II) double-zigzag chain based on an octacoordinated W precursor: metamagnetism and spin canting

A cyanide-bridged W-Co bimetallic complex (1) with a double-zigzag chain structure was characterized in terms of structure and magnetism. Compound 1 exhibits metamagnetism and spin canting induced by the presence of anisotropic CoII ions and noncovalent interactions.     

Reaction and stabilizing mechanism of the cross-type macromonomers in the dispersion polymerization of styrene

The cross-type (C-VUM) and linear-type (L-VUM) bifunctional vinyl urethane macromonomers and polystyrene (PS) using these macromonomers were synthesized in the dispersion polymerization in ethanol, and the reaction and stabilizing mechanism of the macromonomers was proposed. The structural verification of the macromonomers and PS was studied using (1)H NMR. The weight-average particle size of C-PS (PS prepared with C-VUM) and L-PS (PS prepared with L-VUM) decreased from 4.41 to 1.36 microm and from 3.56 to 1.52 microm, whereas the average-molecular weight of those increased from 34,100 to 100,500 g/mol and from 32,200 to 71,800 g/mol, respectively. The XPS result showed that the C-PS was anchored with a larger amount of PEG than that of the L-PS on the particle surface. Thus, the reaction and stabilizing mechanism of the macromonomers for the formation of PS particles is proposed as the following. The particle surface of the C-PS is surrounded by a large amount of tail shaped macromonomers leading to higher molecular weights and smaller particle sizes. On the other hand, the particle surface of the L-PS is comprised of relatively small amounts of loop shaped macromonomers inducing lower molecular weights and larger particles of L-PS than C-PS.