Lanthanum chloride precipitation-based toxicoproteomic analysis of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol toxicity in rat kidney reveals involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2.

The heat-induced food contaminant 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and its fatty acid esters exert nephrotoxicity in rodents. Previous studies including a non-targeted toxicoproteomics approach using samples from a 28-day oral toxicity study in rats with 10 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of 3-MCPD, an equimolar dose of 53 mg/kg b.w. 3-MCPD dipalmitate and a lower dose of 13.3 mg/kg b.w. of 3-MCPD dipalmitate, revealed substance-induced alterations in metabolic pathways, especially for glycolysis and energy metabolism. In order to obtain deeper insight into mechanisms of 3-MCPD toxicity, samples from the above-mentioned study were reanalyzed using a lanthanum chloride precipitation-based toxicoproteomics approach in order to increase the yield of phosphorylated proteins, crucial players in cellular signaling. A comparison of standard 2D-gel-based proteomics and lanthanum chloride precipitation was performed, thus providing a comprehensive case study on these two methods using in vivo effects of an important food toxicant in a primary target organ. While resulting in similar 2D-gel electrophoresis pherograms and spot counts, data analysis demonstrated that lanthanum precipitation yielded more significantly deregulated proteins thus considerably improving our knowledge on 3-MCPD-dependent proteomic alterations in the kidney. 3-MCPD-induced deregulation of the phosphorylated, active version of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) in rat kidney was demonstrated using mass spectrometry and immunohistochemistry. In summary, this paper for the first time links 3-MCPD effects to deregulation of the ERK/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in rat kidney and demonstrates that lanthanum chloride precipitation is suited to support the gain of mechanistic knowledge on organ toxicity using 2D-gel-based proteomics.

Proteomic analysis of 3-MCPD and 3-MCPD dipalmitate toxicity in rat testis.

Thermal treatment of foodstuff containing fats and salt promotes the formation of 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and its fatty acid esters. 3-MCPD-exposed rats develop testicular lesions and Leydig cell tumors. 3-MCPD and 3-MCPD ester toxicity is thought to be caused by 3-MCPD and its metabolites, since 3-MCPD esters are hydrolyzed in the gut. Inhibition of glycolysis is one of the few known molecular mechanisms of 3-MCPD toxicity. To obtain deeper insight into this process, a comparative proteomic approach was chosen, based on a 28-days repeated-dose feeding study with male Wistar rats. Animals received equimolar doses of 3-MCPD or 3-MCPD dipalmitate. A lower dose of 3-MCPD dipalmitate was also administered. Absence of histopathological changes supported an analysis of early cellular disturbance. Testes were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by mass-spectrometric protein identification. Data provide a comprehensive overview of proteomic changes induced by 3-MCPD and 3-MCPD dipalmitate in rat testis in an early phase of organ impairment. Results are compatible with known 3-MCPD effects on reproductive function, substantially extend our knowledge about cellular responses to 3-MCPD and support the hypothesis that toxicity of 3-MCPD and 3-MCPD esters is mediated via common effectors. DJ-1 was identified as a candidate marker for 3-MCPD exposure.

Determination of osteocalcin in meat and bone meal of bovine and porcine origin using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry and high-resolution hybrid mass spectrometry.

A method has been developed for determining the origin of meat and bone meal (MBM) by detecting species-specific osteocalcin (OC) using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight (MALDI/TOF) and high-resolution hybrid mass spectrometry (HR-Q/TOF MS). The analysis is based on the detection of typical species-specific OC and its tryptic peptide fragments which differ in mass due to differences in the amino-acid sequences between species. After dissolving the MBM samples in EDTA buffer, purification after ultrafiltration was performed using two methods: solid-phase extraction using Zip-Tip C(18) or size exclusion coupled with reverse-phase chromatography. Fractions containing partially purified intact OC were analyzed using LC-Q/TOF and MALDI/TOF mass spectrometry. Species-specific OC was detected at the typical protonated and doubly protonated molecular ions. Furthermore, typical porcine- and bovine-derived tryptic fragments from MBM were detected after enzymatic digestion. In order to determine the underlying amino-acid sequences and to confirm the assignment to OC-derived peptides, MS/MS analysis was carried out. In conclusion, we were able to detect OC in bovine and porcine MBM with high sensitivity and the MS-based method described here by which total OC mass and marker peptides of digested OC are recorded can be used as an alternative approach to detect genus-specific differences in MBM and can be applied as a confirmatory method to mainly immunological osteocalcin screening methods.

Permeation of topically applied caffeine through human skin--a comparison of in vivo and in vitro data.

AIMS: Due to ethical reasons, in vivo penetration studies are not applicable at all stages of development of new substances. Therefore, the development of appropriate in vitro methods is essential, as well as the comparison of the obtained in vivo and in vitro data, in order to identify their transferability. The aim of the present study was to investigate the follicular penetration of caffeine in vitro and to compare the data with the in vivo results determined previously under similar conditions. METHODS: The Follicular Closing Technique (FCT) represents a method to investigate the follicular penetration selectively. In the present study, FCT was combined with the Franz diffusion cell in order to differentiate between follicular and intercellular penetration of caffeine into the receptor medium in vitro. Subsequently, the results were compared with the data obtained in an earlier study investigating follicular and intercellular penetration of caffeine in vivo. RESULTS: The comparison of the data revealed that the in vitro experiments were valuable for the investigation of the follicular penetration pathway, which contributed in vivo as well as in vitro to approximately 50% of the total penetration, whereas the kinetics of caffeine penetration were shown to be significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of FCT with the Franz diffusion cell represents a valuable method to investigate follicular penetration in vitro. Nevertheless, in vivo experiments should not be abandoned as in vitro, structural changes of skin occur and blood flow and metabolism are absent, probably accounting for reduced penetration rates in vitro.