Human SOD1-G93A specific distribution evidenced in murine brain of a transgenic model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by MALDI imaging mass spectrometry.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons. The transgenic mouse model carrying the human SOD1G93A mutant gene (hSOD1G93A mouse) represents one of the most reliable and widely used model of this pathology. In the present work, the innovative technique of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) was applied in the study of pathological alterations at the level of small brain regions such as facial and trigeminal nuclei, which in rodents are extremely small and would be difficult to analyze with classical proteomics approaches. Comparing slices from three mice groups (transgenic hSOD1G93A, transgenic hSOD1WT, and nontransgenic, Ntg), this technique allowed us to evidence the accumulation of hSOD1G93A in the facial and trigeminal nuclei, where it generates aggregates. This phenomenon is likely to be correlated to the degeneration observed in these regions. Moreover, a statistical analysis allowed us to highlight other proteins as differentially expressed among the three mice groups analyzed. Some of them were identified by reverse-phase HPLC fractionation of extracted proteins and mass spectrometric analysis before and after trypsin digestion. In particular, the 40S ribosomal protein S19 (RPS19) was upregulated in the parenkyma and reactive glial cells in facial nuclei of hSOD1G93A mice when compared to transgenic hSOD1WT and nontransgenic ones.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry detection of a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent in mouse liver.

The present paper describes the detection of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS). The contrast agent was analyzed in both frozen and paraformaldehyde-fixed mouse livers explanted after its in vivo administration, and its identity was confirmed by fragmentation experiments. Moreover, a semiquantitative analysis was performed, evaluating its content in livers from mice sacrificed at different postadministration times. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of a MALDI-IMS analysis of MRI contrast agents and the first time that results obtained by MALDI-IMS are validated by both an in vivo (MRI) and an ex vivo (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, ICP-AES) technique. Results shown in the present paper demonstrate the possibility of using MALDI-IMS for drug biodistribution analysis. Obviously, this application is particularly interesting in the case of unlabeled compounds, which cannot be detected by any of the other imaging techniques.

1H-NMR and MALDI-TOF MS as metabolomic quality control tests to classify platelet derived medium additives for GMP compliant cell expansion procedures.

INTRODUCTION: Ex vivo cell expansion under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines can be performed using medium additives containing human growth factors from platelets. These products can differently affect proliferation of adipose mesenchymal stromal stem cells (ASC). Qualification of medium additive performance is required for validation under GMP regulations: assessment of growth factor concentrations is not sufficient to predict the biological activity of the product batch. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (1H-NMR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS) provide wide molecular characterization of samples. AIMS: We aimed to assess if 1H-NMR and MALDI-TOF MS techniques can be used as quality control test potentially predicting the impact of a medium additive on cell proliferation. METHODS: We tested the impact on ASC growth rate (cell proliferation assessment and cell morphology analysis) of four medium additives, obtained by different methods from human platelet apheresis product. In order to classify each medium additive, we evaluated growth factor concentrations and spectra obtained by 1H-NMR and by MALDI-TOF MS. RESULTS: Medium additive obtained by CaCl2 activation of platelet rich products induced higher proliferation rate vs additive derived from platelet depleted ones. Additives obtained by freeze-and-thaw methods weakly induced ASC proliferation. As expected, principal component analysis of growth factor concentrations did not unravel specific biochemical features characterizing medium additives in relation with their biological activity. Otherwise, while 1H-NMR showed a partial resolution capacity, analysis of MALDI-TOF MS spectra allowed unambiguous distinction between the medium additives we used to differently stimulate cell growth in vitro. DISCUSSION: MALDI-TOF and, despite limitations, 1H-NMR are promising cost effective and reliable quality controls to classify the potential of a medium additive to promote ASC growth. This can represent, after further investigations and appropriate validation, a significant advantage for GMP compliant manufacturing of advanced cell therapy products.

Validation of a mass spectrometry-based method for milk traces detection in baked food.

A simple validated LC-MS/MS-based method was set up to detect milk contamination in bakery products, taking the effects of food processing into account for the evaluation of allergen recovery and quantification. Incurred cookies were prepared at eight levels of milk contamination and were cooked to expose all milk components, including allergenic proteins, to food processing conditions. Remarkable results were obtained in term of sufficiently low LOD and LOQ (1.3 and 4 mg/kg cookies, respectively). Precision was calculated as intra-day repeatability (RSD in the 5-20% range) and inter-day repeatability (4 days; RSD never exceeded 12%). The extraction recovery values ranged from 20% to 26%. Method applicability was evaluated by analysing commercial cookies labelled either as "milk-free" or "may contain milk". Although the ELISA methodology is considered the gold standard for detecting allergens in foods, this robust LC-MS/MS approach should be a useful confirmatory method for assessing and certifying "milk-free" food products.

Expression patterns of promoters for NPY Y(1) and Y(5) receptors in Y(5)RitTA and Y(1)RVenus BAC-transgenic mice.

In the rat brain, neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y(1) and Y(5) receptors are coexpressed in various forebrain regions where they mediate several NPY-activated functions, including feeding behaviour, anxiety, neuronal excitability and hormone secretion. We studied the distribution pattern and cellular colocalization of the Y(1) and the Y(5) receptor gene expression in the mouse brain by using transgenic mice with genomically integrated BAC clones, where the coding regions of the Y(1) and Y(5) receptor genes were replaced by Venus and the synthetic transcription factor itTA reporter genes, respectively (Tg(Y5RitTA/Y1RVenus) mice). Analysis of Venus fluorescence and itTA-mediated activation of Cre recombinase revealed copy number-dependent expression levels, between the lines, but similar expression patterns. In three transgenic lines the BAC encoded Y(5) receptor promoter induced strong Cre expression in the olfactory system, cerebral cortex, hippocampus and basal ganglia. Weaker expression was found in most of the hypothalamic nuclei of line 25, the highest-expressing transgenic line. Activation of Cre was itTA-dependent and could be regulated by doxycycline. The Y(1) receptor promoter-induced Venus fluorescence was intense, widely present through the brain and colocalized with Cre immunostaining in neurons of distinct brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, basolateral amygdala, dentate gyrus and paraventricular nucleus. These data provide a detailed and comparative mapping of Y(1) and Y(5) receptor promoter activity within cells of the mouse brain. The Tg(Y5RitTA/Y1RVenus)-transgenic mice generated here also represent a genetic tool for conditional mutagenesis via the Cre lox system, particularly of genes involved in feeding behaviour, neuronal excitability and hormone secretion.