Magnetic bead based immunoassay for enumeration of CD4 T lymphocytes on a microfluidic device

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnostics are urgently needed in resource-scarce settings. Monitoring of HIV-infected patients requires accurate counting of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes. However, the current methods for enumeration of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes are of high cost, technically complex and time-consuming. In this paper, we developed a simple, rapid and inexpensive one-step immunomagnetic method for separating and counting CD4⁺ T lymphocytes on microfluidic devices with enlarged reaction chambers. CD4⁺ T lymphocytes were successfully separated and captured from the cell suspension obtained from mouse thymus. CD4 counts were determined under an optical microscope in a rapid and simple format. In order to acquire the maximum efficiency of cell capture, relative parameters were investigated, including section area of the reaction chamber and injection flow rate of the cell suspension. The enlarged reaction chamber with two symmetrical cone-shaped ends was helpful for cell capture, and the maximum capability of captured CD4⁺ T lymphocytes was about 700 cells μL⁻¹. Our investigations avoided the complex sample pre-treatment, and the entire analysis time was significantly reduced to 15 min. This CD4 counting microdevice had the potential to reduce the cost for HIV diagnosis in resource-limited settings.     

Application of thiophilic chromatography to deplete serum immunoglobulins in sample preparation for bidimensional electrophoresis

Serum is a typical sample for non-invasive studies in clinical research. Its proteome characterization is challenging, since requires extensive protein depletion. Methods used nowadays for removal of high-abundance proteins are expensive or show quite often a low loading capacity, which has strong repercussions on the number of samples and replicates per analysis.In order to deplete immunoglobulins (Igs) and albumin (HSA) from 1 mL serum samples, we have developed a protocol based on a combination of thiophilic chromatography, not previously used in clinical proteomics, and a HSA-specific resin. Ig/HSA-depleted samples, immunoglobulinome and albuminone were analyzed by 2-DE. Thiophilic chromatography, coupled with HSA-depletion, allows a good 2-DE resolution as well as the visualization of new spots. Moreover, it yields enough protein to evaluate technical variability and facilitate subsequent protein identification. To validate the protocol, we carried out a preliminary comparative study between triplicate Igs/HSA-depleted serum samples from healthy control individuals and recently diagnosed/untreated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. RA patients showed several acute phase proteins, as well as additional serum proteins, differentially and significantly regulated.Therefore, thiophilic chromatography can be used as an efficient and economical method in 2-DE to deplete immunoglobulins from large human serum samples before a more extensive fractioning.     

Application of bromoacetate‐substituted β‐CD‐bonded silica particles as chiral stationary phase for HPLC

Bromoacetate‐substituted [3‐(2‐O‐β‐cyclodextrin)‐2‐hydroxypropoxy]propylsilyl‐appended silica particles (BACD‐HPS), an important and useful synthetic intermediate for preparation of novel types of macrocycles‐capped β‐CD‐bonded silica particles including crown ether/cyclam/calix[4]arene‐capped β‐CD‐bonded silica particles, have been prepared and used as chiral stationary phase for HPLC. This synthetic stationary phase is characterized by means of elemental analysis. For the first time, the chromatographic behavior of BACD‐HPS was systematically evaluated with several disubstituted benzenes and some chiral drug compounds under both normal and RP conditions in HPLC. The results show that BACD‐HPS has excellent selectivity for the separation of aromatic positional isomers and chiral isomers of some drug compounds when used as stationary phase in HPLC.     

Comparison of HPLC enantioseparation of substituted binaphthyls on CD‐, polysaccharide‐ and synthetic polymer‐based chiral stationary phases

Retention and enantioseparation behavior of ten 2,2′‐disubstituted or 2,3,2′‐trisubstituted 1,1′‐binaphthyls and 8,3′‐disubstituted 1,2′‐binaphthyls, which are used as catalysts in asymmetric synthesis, was investigated on eight chiral stationary phases (CSPs) based on β‐CD, polysaccharides (tris(3,5‐dimethylphenylcarbamate) cellulose or amylose CSPs) and new synthetic polymers (trans‐1,2‐diamino‐cyclohexane, trans‐1,2‐diphenylethylenediamine and trans‐9,10‐dihydro‐9,10‐ethanoanthracene‐(11S,12S)‐11,12‐dicarboxylic acid CSPs). Normal‐, reversed‐phase and polar‐organic separation modes were employed. The effect of the mobile phase composition was examined. The enantiomeric separation of binaphthyl derivatives, which possess quite similar structures, was possible in different enantioselective environments. The substituents and their positions on the binaphthyl skeleton affect their properties and, as a consequence, the separation system suitable for their enantioseparation. In general, the presence of ionizable groups on the binaphthyl skeleton, substitution with non‐identical groups and a chiral axis in the 1,2′ position had the greatest impact on the enantiomeric discrimination. The 8,3′‐disubstituted 1,2′‐binaphthyl derivatives were the most easily separated compounds in several separation systems. From all the chiral stationary phases tested, cellulose‐based columns were shown to be the most convenient for enantioseparation of the studied analytes. However, the polymeric CSPs with their complementary behavior provided good enantioselective environments for some derivatives that could be hardly separated in any other chromatographic system.     

Phenylcarbamoylated β‐CD: π‐Acidic and π‐basic chiral selectors for HPLC

Two types of chiral stationary phases for HPLC based on π‐acidic or π‐basic perphenylcarbamoylated β‐CDs were synthesized. The relative structural features of the two effective chiral selectors are discussed and compared in both normal‐phase and RP modes. In addition, the nature and concentration of alcoholic modifiers were varied for optimal separation in normal phase and the structural variation of the analytes was also examined. The results showed that hydrogen bonding, steric effect and π‐acidic–π‐basic interaction contributed greatly to enantioseparation. Upon comparison, some of the differences in the separation behavior of the two types of chiral stationary phases might be due to the π‐acidic or π‐basic phenylcarbamate groups.     

Optimized ultrasound‐assisted extraction procedure for the analysis of opium alkaloids in papaver plants by cyclodextrin‐modified capillary electrophoresis

This study investigated the use of ultrasound‐assisted extraction to improve the extraction efficiency of morphine, codeine and thebaine from the papaver plants. Extraction conditions such as type of solvent, temperature, duration, frequency and power level of ultrasonic were optimized and the influences of different parameters on resolution of alkaloids in CE were studied. The optimized condition for CE separation includes a sodium phosphate buffer (100 mM, pH 3.0) containing 5 mM α‐CD. The optimized extraction conditions for ultrasound‐assisted extraction was an extraction time of 1 h, an ultrasonic frequency of 60 kHz with water–methanol (80:20) at 40°C as the extraction solvent. The LOD for alkaloids was found to be 0.1 μg/mL at a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3:1. The RSDs for peak areas were in the range of 1.4–4.4%. The amounts of opium alkaloids (mg/100 g dried sample) in four Iranian papaver plants were found to be in the range of 7.8–8.7 (morphine), 5.5–9.5 (codeine) and 1.4–10.4 (thebaine). It should be emphasized that no cleanup of the filtered extract was required; hence, direct determination after extraction drastically simplifies the analytical process.     

草酸根桥联手性双核铜的合成、表征、结构与磁性

分别以(8R,10R)-(-)-[4,5]-pineno-2,2′-bipyridine或(8S,10S)-(+)-[4,5]-pineno-2,2′-bipyridine(LRR和LSS)为手性配体合成双核铜络合物[Cu2(μ-ox)(LRR)2(H2O)2(ClO4)2](1)、[Cu2(μ-ox)(LRR)2(CH3COCH3)2(ClO4)2](1a)、[Cu2(μ-ox)(LSS)2(H2O)2(ClO4)2](2)和[Cu2(μ-ox)-(LRR)(LSS)(CH3COCH3)2(ClO4)2](3)(ox2-=草酸根),并探讨了其反应机理.由元素分析、电导率、紫外可见谱(UV-vis)、圆二色(CD)谱和晶体结构分析推测:该系列络合物具有草酸根桥联的双核结构,两个铜(II)离子与草酸根几乎成共平面;1a和3的晶体结构分析表明,每个Cu(II)的配位构型为拉长畸变八面体,双核分子中轴向的两个溶剂分子和两个高氯酸根互为反式配位.对映体络合物1和2的溶液CD光谱大致呈镜像对称,在可见区的极弱CD吸收峰可能源于LRR和LSS蒎烯基上的手性中心对Cu(II)d-d生色团的手性微扰产生的邻位效应.采用最小二乘法和Bleaney-Bowers方程对络合物1的变温磁化率测试数据进行拟合,求得交换积分J=-338.41(4)cm-1,表明铜(II)离子间有较强的反铁磁自旋交换作用.     

Separation and identification of three epimeric pairs of new C-glucosyl anthrones from Rumex dentatus by on-line high performance liquid chromatography–circular dichroism analysis

Six C-glucosyl anthrones were characterized as three pairs of epimers by on-line high performance liquid chromatography–circular dichroism (HPLC–CD) analysis and isolated from the roots of Rumex dentatus by column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic spectroscopy and HPLC–CD analysis. They are 10R-C-β-d-glucosyl-10-hydroxyemodin-9-anthrone (rumejaposide E, 1) and 10S-C-β-d-glucosyl-10-hydroxyemodin-9-anthrone (rumejaposide F, 2), 10R-C-β-d-glucosylemodin-9-anthrone (rumejaposide G, 3) and 10S-C-β-d-glucosylemodin-9-anthrone (rumejaposide H, 4), 10S-C-β-d-glucosyl-10-hydroxychrysophanol-9-anthrone (cassialoin, 5) and 10R-C-β-d-glucosyl-10-hydroxychrysophanol-9-anthrone (rumejaposide I, 6). Rumejaposides F–I (2–4 and 6) were new C-glucosyl anthrones. Rumejaposide E (1) and cassialoin (5) were isolated for the first time in Rumex plants. On-line HPLC–UV–CD analysis was a useful tool for structure elucidating epimeric C-glycosides anthrones 3–6 because of the poor stability of the pure isomers (3 and 4) and the minute quantity of 5 and 6 in the mixture.     

Cr(Ⅵ)与牛血清白蛋白的相互作用

采用荧光光谱、紫外光谱、CD光谱法研究了K2Cr2O7与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)的相互作用。实验结果表明,铬(Ⅵ)使BSA的紫外吸收降低,峰位红移,表明铬(Ⅵ)与BSA发生较强的相互作用;铬(Ⅵ)酸根离子与BSA形成基态复合物导致BSA内源荧光猝灭,猝灭机理主要为静态猝灭。测定了不同温度下该反应的热力学参数,ΔGθ0,ΔHθ和ΔSθ分别为-12.60kJ/mol和56.60J/(mol.k),表明上述作用过程是一个熵增加、自由能降低的自发分子间作用过程,铬(Ⅵ)酸根离子与BSA之间以静电作用力为主;非辐射能量转移机理确定了铬(Ⅵ)与牛血清白蛋白中色氨酸残基之间的距离r=2.85nm;同步荧光和CD光谱研究表明,铬(Ⅵ)使BSA的二级结构发生改变,α-螺旋含量降低,色氨酸残基所处微环境的极性减小。     

Site-specific ϕ- and ψ-torsion angle determination in a uniformly/extensively 13C- and 15N-labeled peptide

A solid-state rotational-echo double resonance (REDOR) NMR method was introduced to identify the ?- and ψ-torsion angle from a ¹H–¹⁵N or ¹H–¹³C′ spin system of alanine-like residues in a selectively, uniformly, or extensively ¹⁵N-/¹³C-labeled peptide. When a C_α(i) or a ¹⁵N peak is site-specifically obtainable in the NMR spectrum of a uniformly ¹⁵N/¹³C-labeled sample system, the ψ- or ?-torsion angle specified by the conformational structure of peptide geometry involving ¹⁵N(i)–¹H_αi–¹⁵N(i + 1) or ¹³C′(i − 1)–¹H^Ni–¹³C′(i) spin system can be identified based on ¹³C_α- or ¹⁵N-detected ¹H_α–¹⁵N or ¹H_N–¹³C REDOR experiment. This method will conveniently be utilized to identify major secondary motifs, such as α-helix, β-sheet, and β-turn, from a uniformly ¹⁵N-/¹³C-labled peptide sample system. When tested on a ¹³C-/¹⁵N-labeled model system of a three amino acid peptide Gly–[U–¹³C, ¹⁵N]Ala–[U–¹³C, ¹⁵N]Leu, the ψ-angle of alanine obtained experimentally, ψ = −40 ± 30°, agreed reasonably well with the X-ray determined angle, ψ = −39°.