Metabolite profiling of guanfacine in plasma and urine of healthy Japanese subjects after oral administration of guanfacine extended-release tablets.

Guanfacine is used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), metabolite profiling of guanfacine was performed in plasma and urine collected from healthy Japanese adults following repeated oral administration of guanfacine extended-release formulation. Unchanged guanfacine was the most abundant component in both plasma and urine (from the MS signal intensity). In plasma, the M3 metabolite (a sulfate of hydroxy-guanfacine) was the prominent metabolite; the M2 metabolite (a glucuronide of a metabolite formed by monooxidation of guanfacine), 3-hydroxyguanfacine and several types of glucuronide at different positions on guanfacine were also detected. In urine, the M2 metabolite and 3-hydroxyguanfacine were the principal metabolites. From metabolite analysis, the proposed main metabolic pathway of guanfacine is monooxidation on the dichlorobenzyl moiety, followed by glucuronidation or sulfation. A minor pathway is glucuronidation at different positions on guanfacine. As the prominent metabolites in plasma were glucuronide and sulfate of hydroxyguanfacine, which have no associated toxicity concerns, further toxicity studies of the metabolites, for example in animals, were not deemed necessary.

Bioanalytical Method for the Determination of Hydroxyproline in Mouse Kidney by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometric Detection.

An analytical method was developed and validated for the measurement of hydroxyproline (Hyp) levels in mouse kidney by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC/MS/MS) using an analytical column specially designed for the LC/MS/MS analysis for intact amino acids. Tissue hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid could be directly injected into the LC/MS/MS, as well as separated and detected using the deuterium labelled Hyp as an internal standard. The calibration curve showed good linearity from 5 to 500 nmol/mg of tissue; the precision and accuracy, including within- and between-run, were less than 6% and within 100 ± 6%, respectively.

Possible roles of long-chain sphingomyelines and sphingomyelin synthase 2 in mouse macrophage inflammatory response.

To evaluate the precise role of sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2) in sphingomyelin (SM) metabolism and their anti-inflammatory properties, we analyzed species of major SM and ceramide (Cer) (18:1, 18:0 sphingoid backbone, C14 - C26 N-acyl part) in SMS2 knockout and wild-type mouse plasma and liver using HPLC-MS. SMS2 deficiency significantly decreased very long chain SM (SM (d18:1/22:0) and SM (d18:1/24:0 or d18:0/24:1)) and increased very long chain Cer (Cer (d18:1/24:0 or d18:0/24:1) and Cer (d18:1/24:1)), but not long chain SM (SM (d18:1/16:0), SM (d18:1/18:0 or d18:0/18:1) and SM (d18:1/18:1)) in plasma. To examine the effects of SM on inflammation, we studied the role of very long chain SM in macrophage activation. Addition of SM (d18:1/24:0) strongly upregulated several macrophage activation markers, SM (d18:1/6:0) and Cer (d18:1/24:0) however, did not. It was suggested that very long chain SM but not long chain SM were decreased in SMS2-deficient mice liver and plasma. And the exogenously added very long chain SM (d18:1/24:0) could activate macrophages directly, suggesting a novel role of plasma very long chain SM in modulating macrophage activation and resulting inflammation.

Identification of a new endogenous metabolite and the characterization of its protein interactions through an immobilization approach.

The emerging field of global mass-based metabolomics provides a platform for discovering unknown metabolites and their specific biochemical pathways. We report the identification of a new endogenous metabolite, N(4)-(N-acetylaminopropyl)spermidine and the use of a novel proteomics based method for the investigation of its protein interaction using metabolite immobilization on agarose beads. The metabolite was isolated from the organism Pyrococcus furiosus, and structurally characterized through an iterative process of synthesizing candidate molecules and comparative analysis using accurate mass LC-MS/MS. An approach developed for the selective preparation of N(1)-acetylthermospermine, one of the possible structures of the unknown metabolite, provides a convenient route to new polyamine derivatives through methylation on the N(8) and N(4) of the thermospermine scaffold. The biochemical role of the novel metabolite as well as that of two other polyamines: spermidine and agmatine is investigated through metabolite immobilization and incubation with native proteins. The identification of eleven proteins that uniquely bind with N(4)-(N-acetylaminopropyl)spermidine, provides information on the role of this novel metabolite in the native organism. Identified proteins included hypothetical ones such as PF0607 and PF1199, and those involved in translation, DNA synthesis and the urea cycle like translation initiation factor IF-2, 50S ribosomal protein L14e, DNA-directed RNA polymerase, and ornithine carbamoyltransferase. The immobilization approach demonstrated here has the potential for application to other newly discovered endogenous metabolites found through untargeted metabolomics, as a preliminary screen for generating a list of proteins that could be further investigated for specific activity.

Correlating the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome in the environmental adaptation of a hyperthermophile.

We have performed a comprehensive characterization of global molecular changes for a model organism Pyrococcus furiosus using transcriptomic (DNA microarray), proteomic, and metabolomic analysis as it undergoes a cold adaptation response from its optimal 95 to 72 degrees C. Metabolic profiling on the same set of samples shows the down-regulation of many metabolites. However, some metabolites are found to be strongly up-regulated. An approach using accurate mass, isotopic pattern, database searching, and retention time is used to putatively identify several metabolites of interest. Many of the up-regulated metabolites are part of an alternative polyamine biosynthesis pathway previously established in a thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus. Arginine, agmatine, spermidine, and branched polyamines N4-aminopropylspermidine and N4-( N-acetylaminopropyl)spermidine were unambiguously identified based on their accurate mass, isotopic pattern, and matching of MS/MS data acquired under identical conditions for the natural metabolite and a high purity standard. Both DNA microarray and semiquantitative proteomic analysis using a label-free spectral counting approach indicate the down-regulation of a large majority of genes with diverse predicted functions related to growth such as transcription, amino acid biosynthesis, and translation. Some genes are, however, found to be up-regulated through the measurement of their relative mRNA and protein levels. The complimentary information obtained by the various "omics" techniques is used to catalogue and correlate the overall molecular changes.

From exogenous to endogenous: the inevitable imprint of mass spectrometry in metabolomics.

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an established technology in drug metabolite analysis and is now expanding into endogenous metabolite research. Its utility derives from its wide dynamic range, reproducible quantitative analysis, and the ability to analyze biofluids with extreme molecular complexity. The aims of developing mass spectrometry for metabolomics range from understanding basic biochemistry to biomarker discovery and the structural characterization of physiologically important metabolites. In this review, we will discuss the techniques involved in this exciting area and the current and future applications of this field.

Mass spectrometry reveals specific and global molecular transformations during viral infection.

Mass spectrometry analysis was used to target three different aspects of the viral infection process: the expression kinetics of viral proteins, changes in the expression levels of cellular proteins, and the changes in cellular metabolites in response to viral infection. The combination of these methods represents a new, more comprehensive approach to the study of viral infection revealing the complexity of these events within the infected cell. The proteins associated with measles virus (MV) infection of human HeLa cells were measured using a label-free approach. On the other hand, the regulation of cellular and Flock House Virus (FHV) proteins in response to FHV infection of Drosophila cells was monitored using stable isotope labeling. Three complementary techniques were used to monitor changes in viral protein expression in the cell and host protein expression. A total of 1500 host proteins was identified and quantified, of which over 200 proteins were either up- or down-regulated in response to viral infection, such as the up-regulation of the Drosophila apoptotic croquemort protein, and the down-regulation of proteins that inhibited cell death. These analyses also demonstrated the up-regulation of viral proteins functioning in replication, inhibition of RNA interference, viral assembly, and RNA encapsidation. Over 1000 unique metabolites were also observed with significant changes in over 30, such as the down-regulated cellular phospholipids possibly reflecting the initial events in cell death and viral release. Overall, the cellular transformation that occurs upon viral infection is a process involving hundreds of proteins and metabolites, many of which are structurally and functionally uncharacterized.

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence derivatization reagent, 3-isobutyl-9,10-dimethoxy-1,3,4,6,7,11b-hexahydro-2H-pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinolin-2-ylamine, for carboxylic acid in high-performance liquid chromatography using tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II).

3-Isobutyl-9,10-dimethoxy-1,3,4,6,7,11b-hexahydro-2H-pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinolin-2-ylamine (IDHPIA) was found to be a selective and highly sensitive derivatization reagent for carboxylic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection using tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II). Free fatty acids and phenylbutylic acid were used as model compounds of carboxylic acids, and the derivatization conditions were optimized with myristic acid. Under the mild reaction conditions of room temperature for 45 min in acetonitrile containing 2-bromo-1-ethylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate and 9-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyridol1,2-a]pyrimidin-2-one, all the fatty acids tested were reacted with IDHPIA to produce highly sensitive derivatives. The chemiluminescence intensity was essentially the same for all fatty acids. The derivatives obtained from 10 free fatty acids were completely separated by reversed-phase chromatography under isocratic elution conditions. The on-column detection limit (signal-to-noise ratio of 3) with proposed HPLC separation and chemiluminescence detection was 0.5 and 0.6 fmol for myristic acid and phenylbutylic acid, respectively. IDHPIA was 100-fold more sensitive than previously developed reagents (Morita, H.; Konishi, M. AnaL Chem. 2002, 74, 1584-1589). The free fatty acids in human serum were successfully determined using the present method.

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence derivatization reagents for carboxylic acids and amines in high-performance liquid chromatography using tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II).

2-(2-Aminoethyl)-1-methylpyrrolidine and N-(3-aminopropyl)pyrrolidine (NAPP) were found to be selective and sensitive derivatization reagents for carboxylic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection using tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II). Free fatty acids and ibuprofen were used as model compounds of carboxylic acids, and the derivatization conditions were optimized with myristic acid as a representative of free fatty acids. All the fatty acids tested were reacted with NAPP to produce highly sensitive derivatives under the mild reaction conditions of room temperature for 30 min in acetonitrile containing 2-bromo-1-ethylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate and 9-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-2-one. The chemiluminescence intensities were similar for all fatty acids. The derivatives obtained from 10 free fatty acids were completely separated by reversed-phase chromatography under isocratic elution conditions. The on-column detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio of 3) with proposed HPLC separation and chemiluminescence detection were 70 and 45 fmol for myristic acid and ibuprofen, respectively. The free fatty acids in human plasma were successfully determined using the present method. Histamine, a model compound of primary amines, was also determined after precolumn derivatization with 3-(diethylamino)propionic acid at room temperature for 60 min in acetonitrile containing N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and 3,4-dihydro-3-hydroxy-4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazine with the detection limit of 70 fmol.