Fluorescence-switching RNA for detection of bacterial ribosomes.

We have developed an efficient chemical system that allows quantification of bacterial ribosomes by fluorescence-based analysis. The key component in the system is the exciton-controlled fluorescent RNA aptamer, which recognizes neomycin B. The intensity of fluorescence from such a ribosome-sensing system increased drastically in the presence of Escherichia coli.

A self-assembling RNA aptamer-based nanoparticle sensor for fluorometric detection of Neomycin B in milk.

To date, there are few reports regarding the development of RNA aptamer-based biosensors for the detection of small molecules. The possible reason is attributed to the weak nuclease resistance of RNA in biological environments. In this study, we have developed an RNA aptamer-based gold nanoparticle (AuNP) sensor for fluorometric detection of Neomycin B in milk. This aptasensor depends on the self-assembly of the RNA aptamer/Neomycin B complex and fluorescence quenching by AuNPs. This biosensor exhibited a low detection limit of 0.01 µM, with a linear dynamic range from 0.1 to 10 µM in milk, and a good selectivity toward Neomycin B. Specifically, because of the shorter RNA fragments and the nuclease inhibition ability of the RNA-modified AuNPs, the RNA sequences remained stable during the experiments. This work will serve as an example for the development of novel biosensors based on RNA aptamers. Graphical Abstract An RNA aptamer-based nanoparticle sensor, developed for the detection of Neomycin B in milk, shows high binding affinity and selectivity. This aptasensor depends on the self-assembly of the aptamer/ligand complex and fluorescence quenching by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Because of the shorter RNA fragments and the nuclease inhibition ability of RNA-modified AuNPs, RNA sequences remain stable during the detection.

Short communication: Drug residues in goat milk after prophylactic use of antibiotics in intravaginal sponges for estrus synchronization.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the prophylactic use of antibiotics in intravaginal sponges used for estrus synchronization in goats may result in the presence of inhibitors in milk and, therefore, of positive results by microbial screening tests. Ninety-eight Murciano-Granadina goats were used, divided into 7 groups of 14 animals. Intravaginal sponges were placed in 6 groups using 2 concentrations of 3 different antibiotics: doxycycline, oxytetracycline, and sulfathiazole-framycetin. The sponges of the control group were placed without antibiotics. Milk samples were collected daily until 7 d posttreatment and analyzed using 3 microbial tests. Positive samples were retested by specific receptor-binding assays to confirm the positive results. Vaginal status was evaluated by visual assessment of the external aspect of the sponges after removal. The microbial test response was not affected by either day posttreatment or dose of antibiotic used, except for oxytetracycline at the higher concentration. Moreover, no positive results were obtained using receptor-binding assays, suggesting that residues, if present in milk, did not exceed the regulatory (safety) levels established for these drugs. The occurrence of soiled sponges was higher in the control group. With respect to the dose of antibiotics used, no significant differences were found for the lower dose administered. However, a significant increase in the percentage of clean sponges was observed for the higher dose of doxycycline. We conclude that the prophylactic use of low doses of doxycycline, oxytetracycline, or sulfathiazole in intravaginal sponges used for synchronization of estrus helps to reduce clinical vaginitis in dairy goats and does not seem to be the cause of positive results in microbial inhibitor tests used to detect antibiotics in goat milk.

Determination of neomycin and related substances in pharmaceutical preparations by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and charged aerosol detection.

A new, simple and repeatable liquid chromatographic method with charged aerosol detection (LC-CAD) for determination of neomycin and related substances has been developed. Analysis of neomycin or other aminoglycosides is problematic due to a lack of chromophores. Universal response of CAD enables direct quantification of neomycin and related substances, for which no reference standard are available. Separation was performed on C18 Hypersil(®) Gold aQ column using water, methanol and heptaflurobutyric acid as mobile phase. Under developed chromatographic conditions all impurities were well separated from neomycin B. Peaks identification was evaluated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The proposed method was validated according to ICH guidelines and applied to the content determination of neomycin and related substances in pharmaceutical preparations.

Single-laboratory validation for the quantification of neomycin B and neomycin C in animal feeds by liquid chromatography fluorescence detection with post-column derivatization.

A method using ion-exchange liquid chromatographic (LC) separation, post-column derivatization, and fluorescence detection to quantify neomycin B and neomycin C in animal feeds has been developed and validated. Improved methodology is required to achieve positive identification of antibiotics present and to more accurately determine the amount of antibiotics in feeds. The method sample range covers additive levels found in type A, B, and C medicated feed products (50-0.005% wt/wt neomycin base). The linear range for the method covers 50-150% of expected sample concentrations. Average recovery from type A and B feeds, n = 9, was 100.4% neomycin with %RSD = 2.28. Average recovery from type C feeds and milk replacers, n = 9, was 97.5% neomycin with %RSD = 4.36. There were no interferences from soybean meal and milk replacer matrix components, oxytetracycline, or other aminoglycosides, with the exception of one gentamicin isomer, which co-elutes with neomycin B. However, neomycin and gentamicin are not a legal feed combination, and the presence of gentamicin can easily be discerned by the appearance of the 3 gentamicin homologs that do not interfere. Comparison of the proposed LC method to the microbiological method shows that the LC method provides comparable recoveries of neomycin from feed products throughout the range of concentrations found commercially.

SPR sensing of small molecules with modified RNA aptamers: detection of neomycin B.

We have studied how the modification of the RNA aptamer evolved against neomycin B at 2' position of ribose with a methyl group influences the affinity of the interaction. Using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and faradaic impedance spectroscopy (FIS) an affinity constant in the muM range was calculated. The results showed that the modification of the aptamer does not significantly alter the affinity of the aptamer for the antibiotic. This finding opens up the possibility of designing modified RNA aptamers resistant to endonucleases without variation of the analytical features. In addition to this, we propose a competitive assay for the detection of neomycin B using SPR as a transduction technique. A range of quantification between 10 nM and 100 microM was obtained, which shows the feasibility of detecting small molecules using aptamers with high sensitivity.

Determination of neomycin sulfate and impurities using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection.

Neomycin B is one of a class of aminoglycoside antibiotics that lack a good chromophore, and is therefore difficult to determine using reversed-phase HPLC with absorbance detection. This is especially true for determining the quantity of each impurity. We show that neomycin sulfate and its major impurities, including neamine (neomycin A), can be separated on a strong anion-exchange column using a weak potassium hydroxide eluent (2.40 mM) at a column temperature of 30 degrees C, and directly detected by integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). The resolution (United States Pharmacopeia (USP) definition) between neomycin B and the closest major impurity ranged from 6.56 and 7.45 over 10 days of consecutive analysis (7.24+/-0.10, n=836 injections). Due to the difficulty of producing weak hydroxide eluents of the required purity (i.e. carbonate-free), this method depends on automatic eluent generation to ensure method ruggedness. This method exhibited good long-term (10 days, 822 injections) retention time stability with a R.S.D. of 0.6%. Peak area R.S.D. (10 microM) was 1.3%. Method robustness was evaluated by intentionally varying the flow rate, eluent concentration, column temperature, and column. The spike recoveries of neomycin B from extractions of three different topical ointments and cream formulations ranged from 95 to 100%. The measured concentration of neomycin B in these formulations ranged from 119 to 154% of the label concentration. The R.S.D. for the measured concentration of one of the formulations tested over three separate days, n=11 extracts, was 3.2%. Based on the results of these evaluations, we believe this method can be used for neomycin sulfate identity, assay, and purity.

Rapid analysis of native neomycin components on a portable capillary electrophoresis system with potential gradient detection.

A simple method based on capillary electrophoresis with potential gradient detection was developed to separate and detect neomycin components within 4 min without a derivatization step. Satisfactory separation and good repeatability were obtained using a separation buffer composed of 1 mM ammonium citrate (pH 3.5). The linearity of the method ranged from 10 to 1000 ppm with a limit of detection for neomycin B of about 7 ppm. After a simple dilution and filtering pretreatment step, neomycin components in three real samples were successfully analyzed without any major interference. Due to its simplicity and reliability, this method could provide an excellent alternative to the assays currently listed in U.S. and European Pharmacopoeia. The experiments were performed on a portable capillary electrophoresis system and, hence, the method can be readily applied to field analysis and point-of-care testing. Figure Photo of portable CE-P2-PGD system.

Analysis of neomycin sulfate and framycetin sulfate by high-performance liquid chromatography using evaporative light scattering detection.

A rapid and simple method for the determination of main components and related substances of both neomycin sulfate and framycetin sulfate by HPLC and evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) is described. The method was also used to determine the neomycin B and the sample sulfate content. Detection and quantitation of aminoglycoside antibiotics are problematic because of the lack of UV absorbing chromophore. The use of a universal detector avoids the need for sample derivatization or use of specific detector based on pulsed amperometry described to be difficult in routine assays. Separation was performed with a Polaris C18 150 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 3 microm reversed-phase column with a solution of 170mM trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The chromatographic parameters were optimized with the help of experimental design software. Mass spectrometry (MS) was employed to confirm the ELSD profile. The final method was validated using methodology described by the International Conference of Harmonization in the field of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Commercial samples of different sources were analyzed and results were in good agreement with specifications of the European Pharmacopoeia.

Identification and quantitation of polymyxin B, framycetin, and dexamethasone in an ointment by using thin-layer chromatography with densitometry.

A new thin-layer chromatographic-densitometric method has been developed for rapid identification and quantitative determination of polymyxin B, framycetin, and dexamethasone in a dental ointment. Silica gel 60 and F254 silica gel 60 plates were used for separating antibiotics and dexamethasone acetate, respectively. When determining framycetin and polymyxin B, chromatograms were developed by using 2 mobile phases, namely methanol and methanol-n-butanol-ammonia (25%)-chloroform (14 + 4 + 9 + 12, v/v/v/v/). The densitometric measurements were made at 550 nm after detection with 0.3% ninhydrin solution. Dexamethasone was determined by using the mobile phase cyclohexane-ethyl acetate (2 + 3, v/v) and ultraviolet densitometric recording at 245 nm. The results obtained for individual constituents with the chromatographic-densitometric method demonstrate similar accuracy, relative standard deviation values from 1.49 to 2.47%, and relative error values from 0.02 to 0.81% and are comparable to those obtained with the reference methods.

Determination of the relative amounts of the B and C components of neomycin by thin-layer chromatography using fluorescence detection.

The determination of the relative amounts of the B and C components of neomycin sulphate by thin-layer chromatography using silica gel plates from Whatman as the stationary phase is described. The mobile phase consisted of methanol-20% (m/v) sodium chloride solution (15:85). Fluorescence detection was performed after derivatization with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. The influence of different parameters on the separation was investigated. A number of commercial samples was analysed using this method and the results were compared with results obtained with ion-exchange chromatography and ninhydrin colorimetric detection, which is the official method prescribed by the European Pharmacopoeia. The described method is much easier to perform than the official method.

Improved liquid chromatographic determination of neomycin B in bovine kidney.

An improved liquid chromatographic (LC) method was developed for the determination of neomycin B in bovine kidney tissue. The tissue is homogenized twice in phosphate buffer; homogenate is centrifuged, and the supernatant is deproteinated by heat. The extract is acidified and mixed with ion-pair concentrate, and neomycin B is determined by an LC system consisting of an ion-pairing mobile phase, a reversed-phase ODS column, postcolumn derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde reagent, and fluorometric detection. Average recoveries of neomycin B from kidney tissues spiked at 3, 6, and 12 ppm were 103, 99, and 104%, with 9.7, 7.9, and 3.7% intralaboratory coefficients of variation, respectively, using a standard curve prepared in buffer. The method was used to determine neomycin B in kidney tissue obtained from a calf killed 14 days after intramuscular dosing with neomycin (5 mg/lb). The tissue was found to contain about 3 ppm neomycin B. The LC conditions were also used to assay control samples of muscle, liver, milk, plasma, and urine. No interfering peaks were noted at the elution position of neomycin B.

Chromatographic assay of neomycin B and C in neomycin sulfate powders.

A chromatographic assay of neomycin sulfate powders on strongly alkaline ion-exchange resin (hydroxide form) is described. D-(+)-alpha,alpha-Trehalose was used as an internal standard. The amount of neomycin B and C in commercial samples was determined with the proposed method, and the results are compared with those obtained by microbiological assay. In addition, minor neomycin components were estimated by TLC and GLC methods.